The Legend of Zelda: Wrath of Majora
by The Writer with No Name
Summary: Following the return of his beloved Zelda, Link and his lady love must face a new threat to Hyrule...one that must be vanquished within three days, or all is lost. Rated T to be safe. Read Author's Note first.
1. Author's Note

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hi, it's me, The Writer with No Name. I'm back, with my second story. Before I continue, I'd just like to say a few things.

First, I just want to say that this story, as well as the previous one, take place in an alternate universe; my Zelda fanfics are based on my own version of Ocarina of Time. In my AU, the storyline plays out in a similar manner to the game, but with a few differences, some of which I mentioned in the note on my first story. I apologize for any confusion.

Second, for all new readers, it may help if you read my first story, "The Legend of Zelda: Legacies," but it isn't absolutely necessary. I always try to write every story I do so that anyone, even someone knowing NOTHING about the Zelda universe, can read and understand it.

Next, my policy on flaming. As before, I would deeply appreciate it if no-one flames me. I welcome genuine, constructive criticism, with comments to help me improve my work. But flaming is just plain mean; I have never flamed anyone before, and I don't plan to start. I would truly appreciate the same courtesy from my peers.

And, finally, the disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and all related characters are property of Nintendo. I own only the original characters and places in the story. This is a non-profit work of writing, created for my own entertainment.

Thank you all for reading my story. I deeply appreciate the positive response I got for my first story; I hope you all enjoy this one, too. That said…on with the show!


	2. The Story Thus Far

THE STORY THUS FAR...

The kingdom of Hyrule seemed ready to enter a new golden age.

Link, the Hero of Time, one month after slaying the tyrant Ganondorf and rescuing his beloved Princess Zelda, had to save Hyrule once again, by gathering the power to stop the evil, cursed sorcerer Vaati, a monstrous entity with a 500-year-old grudge against Hyrule's Royal Family. Link slew the evil wizard, saving Zelda and Hyrule once again.

During the course of his adventure, Link learned that his beloved Zelda was, in fact, a magical half-Fairy, and that he, himself, was a Magi, one of the magic-wielding people of the mighty Aldarian Empire, the strongest, most technologically advanced civilization in the world, and that he was the long-lost Crown Prince of that Empire. At the end of his last adventure, Link was reunited with his parents, the Emperor and Empress of Aldare, and, after a visit to the Atlantis Oceanic Base, Link agreed to begin advanced training to enter the Imperial Fleet, to help in the Empire's war against the Shadows, an evil, space-faring race seeking the destruction of Aldare and conquest of their star system. Also, Zelda left for the Eletale School for the Magic Arts, to refine her magical talents, with Link's promise to visit her, and to wait for her.

Six months have passed since then. Link has honed his abilities and skills as Defender of Hyrule, continued his Fleet training, showing amazing prowess and potential as a military officer, while remaining ever-vigilant...and anxiously awaits the return of his true love. Zelda, too, is eager to return to her darling's loving arms. Also, in that time, Link's thoughts have begun to turn to thoughts of marriage.

But, though evil can be diminished, it is seldom truly vanquished so easily. Even now, as Link returns from a Fleet training mission to the far north, another enemy draws near, and another plot threatens to ensnare Hyrule, and destroy Link and Zelda's flowering love, even as Hyrule's annual Carnival of Time draws near.

Hyrule's Hero will need all of his might to survive...


	3. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE: HERE, THERE, AND BACK AGAIN...

Far to the north, where the only weather was snow, where ice never melted, in the Arcturian Sector of the Aldarian Empire, far out on the glacial ice, two riders, on hover-bikes, rode to the east, at speeds exceeding any velocity that a horse could achieve, for no riding animal could survive these temperatures. The riders, however, were fine, clad in insulated black body-suits, with hooded white cloaks over them, black scarves covering their mouths, and goggles over their eyes.

Soon, they'd reached their destination: the Polaris Arcturian Research Outpost. The Outpost was built right into the glacial ice, extending far below the glacier's surface, deep into the frozen water, where Aldarian deep-submergence research vessels could easily arrive and depart, to explore the unknown frozen deeps. The Outpost itself was composed of violet domes of Adamite – a metal-crystal hybrid compound, which only the Magi knew how to make, which composed all their Skyships, Skycities, and other structures. Surrounding the Outpost was a large, gleaming energy dome: a protective shield, one of the many technologies Aldare possessed.

The lead rider took out a small, electronic device, and tapped a key on it. Instantly, the shield lowered, allowing the riders to enter, before raising itself once more. The riders zipped into a docking bay, and powered-down their hover-bikes. The second rider removed his hood, scarf, and goggles, revealing the face of the Outpost's Commander, a tough, yet well-meaning man in his mid-forties, with brown hair, light skin, and brown eyes. "Well, Prince Link," he said, "what did you think of Polar Site Five? Does it not merit further research?"

The lead rider removed his hood, scarf, and goggles, revealing the face of Link Wingnar, the Hero of Time, Defender of Hyrule, and Crown Prince of Aldare. Link was a young man of 18, tall, and well-built, his frame striking the perfect balance between lean and muscular. He had short, sandy-blond hair, with a few spiky tufts falling down across his forehead, and storm-blue eyes, as well as long, pointed ears, typical of both the Magi and the Hylian people of Hyrule.

Link had come to the Outpost as one of the training missions for his Fleet training; as an infant, before he'd been separated from his parents, he'd been identified as an incredibly gifted child, and was now enrolled in an accelerated training program. The Fleet needed able officers _fast_, for, in a year-and-a-half – or less – the Shadows, an evil race at war with Aldare, would assault their planet, taking advantage of a Space-Fold, an actual folding of space, allowing the Shadows to "jump" right over the Aldarian forces who had pushed the Shadow fleet back to their home system...and come _here_.

Link had participated in several training missions, which had been mostly tactical exercises in space, with himself and other cadets crewing Skyships in orbit above the planet. His instructors had been impressed with his tactical and leadership abilities.

As useful as these exercises were, he also enjoyed the research missions, like this one.

"Polar Site Five _definitely_ merits further study, Commander." Link said, grinning. "Those crystals we found are an important find. There may be deposits of them elsewhere, other than here in the Arcturian Sector." Polar Site Five had been where a research team had located a cache of crystals that apparently had curative properties; the energies they gave off were similar to the magic of the little healing Fairies that often dwelled in hidden Fairy Fountains, but of a much larger energy-output. It had been estimated that these crystals each had the curative energy of a hundred Fairies, or _more_. If these crystals existed elsewhere, then they could be used safely in the infirmaries of Aldare's less-advanced allies, including Hyrule. Also, these crystals, upon further study, could yield new insight in curative magic. Finally, several researchers at the Outpost were theorizing that the crystals were actually a by-product of the Fairies' magic; perhaps Polar Site Five had once been a Fairy Fountain, but the Fairies had migrated when the climate became too cold. That fact, if true, could have implications on the former climate of the Arcturian Sector.

The Sector may have once been warm.

"I'm glad you agree, Prince Link." the Commander replied. "With your report, we should be able to continue researching Polar Site Five, as well as continue exploration here in the Arcturian Sector."

"Well, I wish I could stay longer and see what you find," Link said, "but I have to get back to Hyrule." He'd taken this mission during a quiet week in Hyrule, when there seemed to be no real threat to the country.

The Commander nodded. "Well, Your Majesty, we're all glad that you came." he said.

Link chuckled. "I'm glad to have been here, Commander; being here, on the cutting edge of research and exploration is as exciting as being on the front lines!" At that, the Commander joined in Link's chuckles, as both men left the docking bay.

Within the hour, Link had moved all his belongings from his own quarters in the Outpost to his own ship, a Herald-Class Speeder. After he'd gathered the last of his things, still clad in his Fleet uniform – a black body-suit with the white vest of a Cadet, as well as black fingerless gauntlets, black boots, and a silver belt – Link headed to his the docking bay where his Speeder was docked. In a few minutes, he'd reached the Speeder: a sleek, rectangular-parallelogram-shaped vessel, about the size of a house. Its hull was a very light tan, with dark lines indented regularly about it, the edges rounded. Its wind-screen was on the face pointed at an acute angle, its hatch on the other side. The Speeder was the fastest, most maneuverable ship in the Fleet. It had fairly strong shields, but only a relatively light armament of weapons, as well as the revolutionary Quantum Slipstream technology which all ships had, enabling them to safely fly faster than light. As Link approached it, he took out his Command Module, a small electronic device that acted as a remote-control for the Speeder. He tapped a button, and the hatch opened, allowing Link to walk in, before automatically closing.

Now in the Speeder's cargo bay, Link kept walking, coming into the Speeder's cockpit, consisting of about eight chairs, with two control chairs, and two control consoles, consisting of crystalline keyboards with circuitry in them. Link set the last of his belongings down, and sat down in the main control chair, placing his hands on the console. Instantly, the Speeder whirred to life, as the Heads-Up Display popped up on the wind-screen, showing flight path, ship status, and other things. Link took the controls, and guided the Speeder out of the docking bay, the officer in the Flight Control Center clearing him for launch; outside, the Speeder's engine-pods extended from its sides, as the ship began flying out of the bay. The Outpost's shield lowered, letting Link out, before raising again, as Link headed for Hyrule.

"Computer," Link instructed, once he was away, "engage autopilot. Maintain heading, and notify me when we are 200 clicks from the destination." The computer instantly complied, taking over the controls. Getting up, Link walked over to his pile of regular clothes, to change. As he did, he said, "Hey, Navi, I'm sorry that you didn't get out much, this time."

At that, a tiny winged ball of blue light darted out of Link's cap. She was Navi, Link's guardian Fairy. "I'm sorry I couldn't help, Link!" she cried. "I was afraid that if I left your quarters on the Outpost, my wings would freeze off!"

Link chuckled. "That's okay, Navi." he assured the tiny pixie, moving to the cargo bay to change. "But I don't think that would have happened unless you actually went out into the Frozen Wastes."

Within a few minutes, Link had donned his usual garb and gear: white tights on his arms and legs, under a green tunic shirt, with a brown belt around his waist. He also wore brown leather boots, and brown leather fingerless gauntlets, with a green floppy cap on his head. Strapped to his back was the Master Sword, the mighty Blade of Evil's-Bane, the sword that could not be defeated – it was a fine, claymore-type broadsword, longer than his arm, made of shining holy steel, with a blue metal two-pronged hilt-crest that could unfold when drawn, and fold in on itself to lock it in its sheath, as it was now. Clipped over it was an elongated-hexagonal shield of red metal, with a polished silver mirror-surface – the Mirror Shield.

With the Speeder on autopilot, Link allowed his mind to wander, to reflect. It had been six months since Zelda had gone to the Eletale School, and she would be returning soon. Fall and winter had come and gone, and spring was here, and with it, Hyrule's yearly Carnival of Time, to mark the passing of another year, as the Dragon Star – a large comet, Link now knew it was called – made its annual passing of Hyrule. Already, Hyrule Castle Town had been busily preparing for the Carnival, even before he'd left, and Link wanted everything to be perfect when Zelda got back.

Since she'd left, Link had re-doubled his own training; his fight with the evil Vaati had taught him that he had to be ready for _anything_. Also, he'd had the Aldarian Imperial Library as a resource, for both his regular training and his Fleet training. His father, Kondar Wingnar, the Emperor of Aldare, had been pleased with his progress.

His father.

Link was still getting used to the idea of _having_ parents. He'd at first accepted the idea of him being the humble, common Defender of Hyrule, and perhaps simply being Zelda's consort in the future…but now he was the Prince of the most powerful nation of all, and it was taking time to get used to it. In the times he'd visited his parents, the visits had been pleasant, but there was a…a_ distance_, an _awkwardness_ between them. Link supposed that that would eventually fade.

He'd visited his parents several times in the floating city of Aldarus, the Empire's capital Skycity, as well as visiting the Imperial Library, where he'd learned a great deal. He'd learned to modify some of his weapons, as well as enhanced his magical abilities by reading the texts in the Library. First, he'd learned to crystallize his magic into throwing-star-sized crystal blades, which he called "Spell-Strikers"; basically, they were ready-made magic spells that activated when they impacted against a foe. He kept the Strikers in a belt-pouch for easy access. He'd also modified his Grappling Hook into a device that attached to his gauntlet; this device allowed him to fire the Hook with considerably more force than a simple throw, allowing him to latch onto further objects and swing from them. He'd also modified the Hook itself; he'd altered the hook-end into a deadly claw, making it a deadly weapon, enabling him to fire it at a foe, catch the foe, and reel him into range of his Master Sword. In his studies, he'd also strengthened his elemental magic, and begun to truly master his Time Magic. Finally, he'd been patrolling Hyrule; he wanted to make _sure_ Hyrule was safe when Zelda got home.

As he thought of her, Link smiled. She was what his dreams were made of: kind, sweet, intelligent, charming, gentle...not to _mention_ breathtakingly beautiful. Plus, she loved him, too. He _had_ to be the luckiest man in Hyrule...no, the _world_, to have her in his life. When he'd visited her once at the Eletale School, they'd had a bit of an argument. Link was glad that they had worked it out so soon; he couldn't stand the idea of her being mad at him for very long. And, over the last six months, more and more, he began to wonder if, just maybe, she'd like to be the one he could spend the _rest_ of his life with...

"_Attention: target is 200 clicks away. Estimated Time of Arrival: fifteen minutes._"

The computer's toneless announcement shook Link alert. Promptly, he sat down and took control of the Speeder, piloting it towards Hyrule's port-town. He recalled the King, Zelda's father, having mentioned that he was expecting a letter in a week the day that Link had departed. Link decided to drop by the town and pick it up for him; he knew he could reach the Castle easily on horseback, and Epona, his horse, would appreciate the run.

In minutes, the Speeder was over the town, and Link set it down, disembarking, before programming it to continue on to its docking area, in Hyrule Castle, to re-fuel itself at the recharge station Link had assembled there. As the Speeder flew off, Link took out his deep blue Ocarina of Time, and played Epona's Song, the melody that called his faithful horse to his side. Link then proceeded to the post office, to give Epona time to arrive.

He likely needn't have waited, for as soon as he left the office with the King's letter, Epona – a fine, deep-red-coated, white-maned mare – came galloping up to him, her head nuzzling his face affectionately. "Hey, girl, I missed you, too." Link whispered. Then, Epona whinnied, slightly angry with him. Link instantly understood. "Epona, I'm sorry I didn't take you, but you wouldn't have liked it. The Arcturian Sector is _cold_; _much_ colder than winters here." Epona calmed, understanding. Then, Link mounted Epona, and rode off, towards Hyrule Castle.

Across Hyrule, past the bustling Hyrule Castle Town, stood the gleaming, white stone Hyrule Castle, its ivory spires reaching towards the sky, adorned with colorful flags, for the upcoming Carnival of Time. Inside the Castle, in the throne room, the King of Hyrule, Andreus Nohansen Hylandia the Third, was supervising the decoration of the throne room. Andreus was an older man, in his fifties, somewhat short, and a bit stout. He had short, white hair, a fine white beard, and blue eyes, with a light complexion. He wore white pants and a blue long-sleeved shirt, with a fine red overcoat over it, and a crown atop his head.

As the decoration continued, Andreus smiled. The preparations were going well, and the Carnival was less than four days away. Things were going swimmingly...

"Your Majesty!"

Andreus sighed as he saw who it was: young Lord Caspian. Caspian was a young man of 17, around the same height as Link, but of lighter frame, since an aristocrat like him didn't train as Hyrule's Defender did. Caspian had short, dark brown hair, brown eyes, and light skin, clad in a gold-and-silver overcoat, and black pants. Behind him were numerous other nobles.

'_Caspian, what are you up to, this time?_' Andreus mentally groaned. Ever since it had been revealed that Link was Aldare's Crown Prince, Caspian was the only noble left in the Royal Court who openly opposed Link's presence. Almost ever since his daughter had left for the Eletale School, Caspian had tried to have Link politically removed, or tried to disgrace and humiliate him.

And Link had outsmarted him every time.

"Yes, Lord Caspian?" Andreus asked calmly. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Indeed there is, Sire." Caspian replied, his noble accent betraying his privileged status, only amplifying Andreus' dislike of the boy; he'd never once lifted a _finger_ to help Hyrule, and yet he was so critical of Link, who'd risked his _life_ to defend a country that was not his birthplace, saving all its people, including _him_.

Not for the first time, Andreus was glad that he'd allowed his daughter the freedom to choose her own future husband.

"And that would be..?" Andreus asked.

"We only wish to humbly remind you of your duty, Sire," Caspian said, "to think of the immediate needs of Hyrule, and not of some insane war effort against a foe we have nothing to do with."

Andreus sighed; this was one of Caspian's favorite tactics. He was trying to convince him to break off Hyrule's alliance with Aldare...and thus send its Prince back home. "Do you _continue_ to push this topic, Caspian?" he said.

"Sire," Caspian huffed, "our alliance with Aldare is putting us in danger from attack from an enemy far deadlier than any we've so far seen! This is an enemy who, under different circumstances, would have no quarrel with us..."

Andreus laughed. "Young Lord, are you so blind?" he said. "I have spoken with Aldare's Emperor; he tells me that the Shadows were going to come here even if Aldare _wasn't_ here. For the Shadows, Aldare's presence is a _bonus_; the proverbial 'icing-on-the-cake'. Aldare is the only nation capable of standing against them, and it has been victorious many times against them. They are our best chance!"

"I disagree, Sire...with respect." Caspian said, and the other nobles reluctantly nodded. "If we ended our relationship with them, we could come to a separate peace with these creatures..."

"You would only waste your time." Andreus said. "These Shadows are unearthly creatures; spidery, six-legged horrors, who think of two-legged creatures – like _us_ – as lower life forms. They would simply laugh at you...before they kill you."

Caspian scowled. "Regardless, Sire, your pursuit of relations with them has placed us in peril. If the Aldarian Empire loses, the Shadows will destroy us with even greater vengeance for having allied with their enemies. And if Aldare _wins_, we are still in peril; their society is...is..._unnatural_! A _Senate_, where the _people_ have a say in matters of state?! No nobility?! No peasantry?! That is _unheard_ of!" The other nobles nodded. "New technology...new ideas...Sire, Aldare's existence is a threat to our way of life! And who's to say that once the Shadows are gone, they won't invade _us_?"

Andreus chuckled. "Caspian, I have _seen_ what Aldare is capable of. If they _truly_ wished to attack us, I doubt we'd be here talking about it; they would have overrun us without effort."

Caspian's scowl grew. "Sire, your alliance with Aldare gives them too much influence over us! Why _should_ they invade, when they can destroy our way of life without lifting a finger to do so?!"

"You are making quite a large assumption, Lord Caspian."

Startled, Andreus turned...and smiled warmly when he saw who had just come in. "Link! Welcome back, my boy!"

Link returned the smile, removing his cap. "It's good to be back, Sire." he answered, respectfully. Turning to Caspian, he added, "You are assuming that Aldare wishes to conquer Hyrule. I can assure you, my Lord," the last two words held a trace of sarcasm, "that this is not the case. Why would we wish to invade you? It is one of our highest laws to never interfere in the natural development of another civilization. Conquest would be breaking that law in the most horrific way."

Caspian sneered, not noticing that his followers were backing away. "Save that drivel for someone else." he snapped. "You and your Empire are the greatest threat to Hyrule yet."

"_Caspian_." Andreus warned. "That's _enough_."

But Caspian went on. "You and your people aren't too keen on sharing all that technology of yours. Fearful of losing control of us, are you?"

Link just laughed. "My Lord, you just said that you wanted to maintain your way of life, and now you demand the technology to change it!" he replied. "Even if we did share knowledge with you, Hylian engineers would be unable to implement it! It would take years and years for engineers to even begin to grasp the concepts that enable our ships to fly, let alone how to operate them or even _build_ them! The King already understands this. You, however, clearly do not, as your conflicting statements indicate." His eyes narrowed. "How can you expect to outwit me...when you are at war with _yourself_? When you are certain of what you want, _then_ try to argue with me."

Andreus chuckled. "Well said!"

Caspian snarled, and looked back to his followers...only to find that his entourage had left him. Flushing angrily, he stormed off.

The King turned to Link. "I'm sorry that you had to endure such a poor welcoming, Link."

"Do not worry, Sire." Link replied. "Oh, and I managed to pick this up for you; I believe it is the letter you were expecting." He handed Andreus the letter.

Andreus nodded in thanks, then sighed. "What am I going to do with that boy?" he asked aloud. "Caspian has a lot to learn about how a Lord of the Royal Court should behave."

"I suppose, in a way, it's to be expected, Sire." Link said softly.

Andreus instantly understood. Six months ago, during Vaati's attack, it had been revealed that Lord Ruthlage, Caspian's father, had played a part in the plot, as well as in Ganondorf's campaign before that. In Vaati's final attack on the Castle, Ruthlage had attempted to kill Andreus, but Link had stopped him, and used the Switch-Shot – one of his many amazing weapons – to save him, and cause Ruthlage's own treacherous attack to backfire, killing him, instead. And now, Caspian had seemed to have found out about it. "Ruthlage was a traitor." he said to Link softly. "He would have ended badly, regardless, lad. You stopped him before his treachery did _more_ harm. You deserve no ill will." Then, he added, "Now, I have a few things to say to you in private. Follow me." Then, the King left the throne room, and Link followed.

Andreus led Link out into the Outer Courtyard, overlooking the Castle Town. It was mid-afternoon, on the fourth day before the Carnival. "Link, as you know, the Carnival of Time's eve is in three days." he said.

"Yes, Sire." Link agreed.

"We have a legend, that those young couples who are wed on the day of the Carnival will have their union blessed by the Goddesses." Andreus continued, smiling. "Also, by Hyrulian law, a Princess cannot marry until she is 19, but she can become betrothed – or engaged – before then; traditionally, by the age of 18, a Princess has usually been betrothed." He looked Link in the eye. "I've believed in letting my daughter choose her own future husband, Link...and, in her heart, I know she's made her choice."

"Sire, what are you saying?" Link asked.

Andreus chuckled, and put a hand on Link's shoulder. "Lad, I'm saying that, _if_ you decide to ask her, I won't stop you." he said. "Now, go and enjoy the day." With that, he walked away.

Andreus couldn't help but smile to himself. His daughter and Link were _madly_ in love; they had the kind of love that stories were written about. He'd been the middle-man when his daughter had written to Link, and seen the joyful expression on the young hero's face as he read them. Also, he had always gone to the Eletale School with Link to visit Zelda, and his talks with his daughter had only confirmed the suspicion that he'd held for a while.

Zelda wished to marry Link, and Link had been thinking of proposing to Zelda. All they needed was a tiny little nudge in the right direction.

'_And, hopefully, I just gave Link one._' Andreus thought to himself, smiling, as he walked on.

As the King left, Link processed what he'd been told...and grinned with goofy joy as he understood it.

The King had just given him his blessing.

"_YAHOO_!!" Link crowed, laughing. "Navi, did you _hear_ that?!"

Instantly, Navi darted out of his cap. "I sure did!" she squeaked. "Link, I'm so happy for you! I just _know_ Zelda will want to marry you! There's nothing stopping you, now!"

Link nodded; the King's blessing had calmed his nerves about when he should ask Zelda. Now, he was certain: there was no other in his life that he wanted to be with. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

Link whistled for Epona, who came galloping up to him. Mounting her, Link rode off, out of the Castle Town. He had to get an engagement ring for her...and he knew exactly where to get the perfect ring for the woman he loved. Plus, he'd intended to do a patrol of that area. He rode on, towards the Kokiri Forest.

When Caspian returned to his family's home, he was _still_ furious. He headed to his study, sitting in his favorite chair to sulk.

Link had embarrassed him _again_. The stupid piece of gutter-trash simply would _not_ stay out of his way. It was now public knowledge that Link actually _was_ Aldare's Crown Prince, and was future ruler, by blood, of the most powerful nation in the _world_.

'_Well,_' Caspian thought angrily, '_lineage alone does not a ruler make. By upbringing, he's a peasant._'

Regardless, it was now impossible to move against him directly, and none of his former allies among the nobles would dare try, for fear of a reprisal from both Link and his country's unimaginable military force. Worse still, every time he tried to disgrace Link or have him _politically_ removed, the scum managed, somehow, to outsmart him.

Well, Aldare's Prince or not, Caspian would _never_ allow Link to take Hyrule's throne _or_ the Princess. The country was his by right; his blood was noble, of _Hylian_ descent, not some sky-born usurper with freakish powers. And Zelda...she was _his_; he'd make _sure_ of that. Ever since he'd learned of her half-Fairy nature, since he'd seen her in her Fairy-form, she'd plagued his mind. She'd become even _more_ desirable to him. The spell of her beauty was upon him, and he'd make her _his_. Caspian grinned at that. Oh, yes, she'd be a _fine_ prize.

Just then, he heard a voice in the shadows. "_Having a bad day, are we?_" it hissed. Then, a cloaked figure came into view. "_Oh, you needn't worry, My Lord. Soon, Link and the King will crumble away. The kingdom, and its Princess will be yours, and Link will die._"

"_No_." Caspian snarled.

"'_No_'?" the figure asked, surprised.

"That isn't enough." Caspian snarled. "I want him _humiliated_. I want you to make him so repulsive that Zelda wouldn't come _near_ him. I want him to die _last_, so he can see Hyrule become mine, so he knows how _completely_ he failed."

The dark entity known as Majora chuckled. "_My Lord, you are my kind of people._" he said. "_And Link will suffer. I guarantee it._"

As the sun began to set across the verdant expanse of Hyrule Field, a carriage rode towards Hyrule Castle, carrying two passengers. One was a young lady of 18, having celebrated her birthday about a month-and-a-half ago, with Link, her true love. She was a bit shorter than Link, her perfect little nose only reaching the level of Link's chin, and she was delicately built, with long, sunshine-golden hair flowing down to the middle of her back, two golden tendrils curling down in front of her pointed ears. She had sapphire-blue eyes, and lips as red and moist as rose petals, her skin the lovely color of moonlight. She wore her usual royal gown, consisting of a simple, long, trim, light rose-colored skirt, covering her slender legs, and a deep purple top, fitting _just_ close enough to modestly accentuate her slender but substantial curves, with golden, ornamental shoulder-pads covering her delicate shoulders. She wore long, light rose-colored gloves, reaching up to her elbows, with her favorite Triforce-shaped earrings in her ears, and a golden tiara encircling her forehead. She was Zelda Aurora Hylandia, Crown Princess of Hyrule.

Across from her sat an elderly lady, in her mid fifties, with long white hair tied in two buns atop her head, emerald eyes framed by spectacles, and creamy skin. She was tall, and elegantly built, clad in a simple, yet stylish light violet, slim school-teacher's gown. She was Delia Orianis, Headmistress of the Eletale School for the Magic Arts.

Zelda was looking out the window, watching as sights became familiar, as her Headmistress took a little nap. Zelda was so anxious to get home...and to see Link again. She blushed to herself as she thought of her true love, the man of her dreams. Link was everything a woman could ever want in a man: he was kind, honest, caring, funny, intelligent, charming, honorable, handsome, tender...he'd be a _perfect_ husband...

Zelda smiled to herself. _Did_ Link want to marry her? She certainly hoped so. With those happy thoughts, Zelda decided to take a nap of her own.

_She and Link were atop the highest tower of Hyrule Castle. The sun of a new day was streaming in, making Link, her hero, her wonderful true love, seem to glow with an ethereal light. A loving smile was on his face, as he got on one knee before her, holding out a beautiful ring to her. "Zelda, will you marry me?" he asked. Zelda squealed in pure joy, embracing him and saying yes, and Link placed the ring on her finger, before he lifted her into the air, and they melted into a kiss..._

_Time had passed in seconds, and they were in the Temple of Time, to take their vows before all their friends and family. Clad in their wedding finery, they spoke their vows, and were pronounced husband and wife. When it came to seal their vows with a kiss, Zelda shyly moved towards her husband, but Link swept her off her feet, giving her an amazing kiss. Zelda sighed happily, knowing that her new life would have so much joy, now that she and Link would be part of each other's lives forever..._

_When Zelda awoke, she was in a bed, wrapped lovingly in the sheets. Confused, she partially unwrapped herself and sat up. Suddenly, she felt a chill strike her chest. Looking down at herself, she understood why...and squeaked in surprise, covering her bare form._

_"Zel?" came a sleepy voice, as Link sat up beside her...with no clothes on, the blankets covering his lower body, with only his upper body exposed...revealing his flawless physique. Zelda knew that he trained often, was a man of iron discipline...and it had done wonders for him. Then, she noticed the simple gold wedding ring on his finger..._

_...and the identical one on her own._

_"Link...are we married?" she asked. It seemed too good to be true..._

_Link smiled. "I certainly hope so," he sweetly teased, "otherwise we've been committing a horrible taboo for the past few hours."_

_Link's witty remark made her laugh...until she considered it fully. Her body was giving off all the signals of a satisfied woman; every inch of her tingled with bliss. 'Oh, sweet Nayru, matron of the heart,' she silently prayed, 'please don't let this be a dream.'_

_Link smiled at her, loving concern in his voice. "What's wrong, Zel?" he asked. "Don't you remember?"_

_Zelda smiled radiantly at her husband, the man who had blossomed her. "I love you." she cooed._

_"And I love you, my darling." Link replied, his smile growing. "Are you okay?"_

_"It's just...everything's a bit fuzzy." Zelda confessed._

_Link grinned slyly, a smile which made Zelda go weak in the knees. "Then maybe I should refresh your memory." he whispered, in a husky tone that made Zelda's heart simply melt._

_Slowly, with loving care, Link lowered himself onto her, giving her loving kisses, and Zelda's heart felt like it would explode from pure happiness. 'I can't believe this is happening...' she thought. Then, she saw Link's loving face, and trusted him completely._

_"Zelda..." Link whispered, "...my darling Zelda..."_

"Zelda!"

Miss Orianis' call fully awoke Zelda from her dream. "We're almost there, dear." her Headmistress said kindly. "We'll be there, soon."

"Yes, Miss Orianis." Zelda replied. Sitting back, she sighed to herself. She'd had that dream.

_Again_.

She'd been having it ever since her 18th birthday, when Link had visited her. She and Link had had a bit of an argument during one of his visits; she'd wanted Link to help her learn to use a sword, and Link had been a bit reluctant. As a result, some harsh words had been exchanged. After the fact, Zelda had been horrified at herself; this was _Link_, the love of her life that she had yelled at. She was so glad that they had made up so quickly…and even gladder that Link had agreed, despite his initial warning at how hard it would be. She smiled as she recalled his exact words: "_You're thanking me now…but three hours into the training, and you'll be cursing me, my father, and my father's father._"

The training had been difficult, but Zelda hadn't felt the need to curse her beau's family to the depths of the Evil Realm. Before he'd had to leave, Link had told her that she was a _natural_, and had encouraged her to practice on her own. And now, she had some experience with handling a blade, as well as being much more well-versed in the magic arts.

The age of 18 was when most Princesses became betrothed. She'd been secretly hoping that Link would ask her, soon – she would marry no other man but him – but she didn't want to pressure him into it, just as he never pressured _her_ into anything.

And, in her dreams, she acted out her secret desires and fantasies.

She sighed to herself, again. She wished she could control these dreams, or at least not stop them when they started to get good...

She blushed madly at _that_ thought. She was a Princess; she shouldn't be thinking like _that_, not until she was properly married! By the time Zelda managed to order her thoughts, the carriage had arrived at Hyrule Castle.

As the royal retainers unloaded her luggage, Zelda and the Headmistress got out to greet Zelda's father. "Zelda, welcome home!" the King declared.

"Daddy!" Zelda exclaimed, hugging her father. "I'm so happy to be home!"

"I'm glad you're back, sweetheart." her father said. "So, how did you do in your first semester?"

"She did _superbly_, Sire; she took to magic as if it were second nature." the Headmistress said, smiling. "Her grades were outstanding, and she was an absolute little _darling_; a _joy_ to teach!"

"Um, Daddy, is...Link here?" Zelda asked, shyly.

"Oh, you _just_ missed him!" the King said. "I believe he was heading towards the forest. If I'd known you were coming, I'd have bade him to stay. We all thought you were arriving _later_!"

"I wanted to surprise you all!" Zelda said. Then, smiling, she added, "Now, I think I'll go surprise Link!" Then, she closed her eyes, and willed herself to change to her Fairy-Form. The familiar energy-wave washed over her, cleansing and energizing her.

When it was done, Zelda now wore a sparkling, sleeveless, silver-blue, halter-style tank top, accentuating her curves perfectly, leaving her slim midriff exposed. She also wore a matching, sparkly silver-blue short skirt, covering her to mid-thigh, as well as high-heeled, silver-colored shoes. She had light blue, long, silken gloves, extending up to her elbows, and a light-blue-metal tiara with a single pink gem encircled her forehead – the Glimmer Tiara, a gift from her mother's spirit. Extending from her back was a pair of semi-translucent, light blue fairy-wings, resembling those of a butterfly, but more extended, the upper part slightly more prominent than the lower part of the wing.

Zelda concentrated, and her wings began to flutter rapidly, lifting her into the air. "I'll be back soon!" she called, and she flew off towards the forest.

As she flew, Zelda's now-heightened emotions took hold of her, as her joy in seeing her sweetheart multiplied _tenfold_. She wished she could fly faster, so she could see him sooner...

Suddenly, a terrible sensation tore through her, and she stopped in mid-flight. She sensed something _horrible_, something _evil_. She had no idea what it was, but it was coming from...

...the Lost Woods.

Zelda flew for the Lost Woods as fast as she could. Something was wrong.

Link was in danger.

Night had fallen over the Lost Woods, and Link had found no threats on his patrol. He'd then headed to a secret place he'd found in the Woods, where the magic of the Woods was strongest, turning the trees to beautiful, living-crystal versions of themselves.

The Crystal Vale.

In the Vale, one tree had given Link the smallest portion of one of its branches, which he fashioned into a ring. He then formed a rainbow-colored gem with his magic, forming it into the shape of a tiny flower, and infused it into the ring. His task complete, he left the Vale, to exit the Woods and call Epona, since he'd left her in the care of Lon Lon Ranch for the time being.

By then, it was very late at night. Link started to head for Kokiri Forest and the path to Hyrule Field, when all of a sudden, two fairies, like Navi, darted out – one was light yellow-white, and the other was a dark purple. The two fairies began buzzing around Link, circling him rapidly. "Hey, cut it out!" he exclaimed.

Just then, a shadowy form darted past Link, and then, up on a tree branch, not even half as tall as Link was, stood a scarecrow-like creature, clad in a fall-colored jacket, shorts, and broad-rimmed hat – it was a Stalchild. _This_ Stalchild, however, was wearing a mask. It was shaped like a heart, but with two points on its top, and six on its bottom – three on each side. It was purple and black, with red-and-yellow eyes, eyes that seemed to stare deep into the soul.

He was holding Link's Ocarina of Time.

"_Hey_!!" Link yelled. "Give that _back_!"

The two fairies crowded around the Stalchild, trying to see the Ocarina. "Hey, c'mon, Stal!" the purple fairy squeaked, clearly a boy. "I wanna see!"

"No way, Tael!" the white fairy, a girl, said. "You'll break it!"

"Aw, Tatl, I'll be careful!" Tael cried.

Now Link was getting cross. He drew the Master Sword and Mirror Shield, the blade's blue-silver light illuminating the night, its sweet victory music sounding. "That's _enough_." he growled. "That Ocarina was given to me by someone very special." It had come from Zelda as a child, and he wouldn't let this little pest steal it. He raised the blade. "Give it back, _now_."

The Stalchild – Stal – chuckled, some...unnatural tinge in his voice. "_Aw, what's wrong, Hero?_" he sneered. "_I think you need to lighten up, and I know exactly how._" Then, the eyes of the mask began to glow, and waves of orange-and-violet energy shone from them, bombarding Link, causing him to pass out.

When Link came to seconds later, he felt...different. "Wha..?" he began, and he froze. His _voice_! It was...all _squeaky_! He looked down at his reflection in a pool of water...

"_AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!_" Link screamed. He was now a Deku Scrub! He was only one _sixth_ of his former height, the size of a _teddy bear_! His hair was still short, sandy-blond, and spiky, with his green cap, only _now_ it trailed behind him, down to his feet. His eyes were pure yellow, with no iris or pupil, and he had the snout-nozzle nose-mouth-hybrid that all Deku Scrubs had. His body was soft but wooden, his arms were short, with fingerless gloves, and his legs were shorter, with small boots, and he wore green shorts. His gear could no longer be used like this.

"_Hee hee hee!"_ Stal cackled_. "Now that's a good look for you!"_ Then, the cruel Stalchild began to float away, taking Tael with him, leaving Tatl behind. Then, Stal and Tael vanished.

"_Hey_! Stal! Tael! Come back!!" Tatl wailed. To Link, she cried, "This...this is all _your_ fault!!"

At that, Navi darted out of Link's cap, and confronted the rogue fairy. "How _dare_ you?!!" she shrieked, and Tatl shrunk back, as Link realized that Navi was a bit larger than Tatl. "It's _your_ fault Link is like this!! You _helped_ that twisted little maniac?! How _dare_ you call yourself a fairy!!!"

Tatl sniffled. "Please..." she sobbed, "...Tael's my baby brother. I have to help him...but Stal's too strong, now. I need help..."

"You should have thought of that _before_." Navi puffed. "Let's go, Link."

"Navi, we _can't_." Link said, in his new squeaky voice. "She made a mistake, and she needs our help." To Tatl, he added, "We'll help you, but first I have to find a way to get back to normal." To himself, softly, he added, "Because there's no _way_ I can ask Zelda looking like _this_." He gently held the ring in the pocket of his green shorts.

"Oh, thank you!!" Tatl exclaimed. "I _promise_, you won't regret it!"

"We'd _better_ not!" Navi declared. "Because if you start slowing us down, you're on your own! _Nobody_ jinxes my friend and gets away with it, so you'd better behave!"

"Okay, Navi." Link said. "I'm sure Tatl understands. Now, is there _any_ upside to this Deku body?"

"Hmmm..." Navi murmured, flying around Link, considering his new body's abilities. "From the look of it, Link, you're a _lot_ lighter than before, so you can jump on the water's surface like real Deku Scrubs can. But be warned: Scrubs can only jump five times in a row – after _that_, they _sink_. You can't run as fast, but you can Spin Dash to accelerate and attack at the same time. You can also use your magic to use the Bubble-Blaster attack to fire enchanted bubbles – it's a lot stronger than it seems. Finally, you can burrow into Deku Flowers and leap out and fly for a short time. You're too little to use any of your weapons, and your magic is diminished in this form, so you'll have to make do with your new abilities."

"Okay." Link said. Then, he saw that the sun was coming up. "Well, I'd better go see the Great Deku Tree. He should know what to do..."

"Link? Are you here?"

Link froze. That was _Zelda's_ voice! He couldn't let her see him like _this_! Quickly, he dove into the bushes, but before Navi or Tatl could follow, Zelda, in her Fairy-form, touched down.

"Oh...uh..._hi_, Princess Zelda!" Navi chuckled. "You're...home early..."

"Oh, hello, Navi!" Zelda said, cheerily enough. Then, she became worried. "W-Where's Link? Is he okay?"

"Uh...um..." Navi said, stalling.

"Oh, _no_, is he _hurt_?!" Zelda cried.

"Uh...no, he isn't _hurt_." Navi admitted. "He just...can't see you, right now."

"But..._why_?" Zelda asked. "Did I...did I make him angry?" Link heard tears in her voice. "Did I..._upset_ him?"

Hearing her like that broke Link's heart. No matter what he looked like, he wouldn't let Zelda beat herself up over something that wasn't her fault. He spoke up: "It's not your fault, Zel."

"Link?!" Zelda called, joy returning to her voice. "You're here!" Then, she became confused. "But...why is your voice different?"

"I'm sorry, Zelda...but I can't let you see me." Link said. "I...don't look the same."

"Link, I don't care what you look like." Zelda said. "Don't hide from me."

"Zel, I'm _serious_..."

"So am _I_." Zelda said firmly. "Please, come out."

"You won't like what you see..." Link warned.

He heard the smile in her voice: "Let _me_ be the judge of that."

Link sighed, and slowly walked into view. Now he could see her, as well. She was just as beautiful as he remembered.

Slowly, Zelda smiled. "Oh, Link, is _this_ what you were worried about?" she cooed.

"You...aren't disgusted?" Link asked.

"Link, you are the man that I _love_. _Nothing_ could make me hate you." Zelda said. Then, smiling, she walked over, reached down, scooped him into her arms, and cuddled him to her like a teddy bear. "Besides, I think you're just _adorable_." she cooed. "You're certainly more cuddly this way."

"Well, being cuddly is better than nothing." Link said, and he returned Zelda's embrace as best he could with his little arms. "Well, we'd better go see the Deku Tree. The sooner we go, the sooner I get back to normal." Then, they set out for the Tree, Link leading, with Navi and Tatl circling him, followed by Zelda.

By the time they reached the Tree, morning had come; only three days remained until the Carnival of Time. Link walked up to the Tree, and the Tree spoke: "Hello, Link. I see that a terrible fate has befallen thee." The Tree was a mighty redwood, with two bushy eyebrows and a wooden moustache in its trunk. "Aye, lad, I knew 'twas thee. Thou possess great power, power which cannot be mistaken." He saw Tatl. "It has been a while, young Tatl, since thou and thy brother flew in my grove. Thou hast been missed."

"I know." Tatl sniffled. "I'm sorry I ran away, Great Deku Tree!"

"Hush, child. Thou art forgiven." the Tree said. "Verily, I say that, if thou dost not act, Link, a horrible fate will befall _all_ of Hyrule. If ye do not lose hope, Link, thou shalt be victorious." Then, the Tree returned to his slumber.

Link turned back to Zelda and the two fairies orbiting his head. "I don't know how to stop this disaster, or what it is, but I _will_ stop it!"

"Very good."

At that, everyone turned to see who had spoken. It was a mildly tall, spindly, red-haired Hylian man, clad in a purple, long-sleeved shirt and pants, with a large backpack full of masks of all sorts strapped to his back. "Hey, aren't you the Happy Mask Salesman?" Zelda inquired.

"Why, yes, Your Majesty." the Salesman replied, bowing as much as he could with his backpack. "I travel all the lands in search of rare and valuable masks. As I was passing through Hyrule, a little imp stole a very rare mask from me – the imp who cursed your boyfriend, Milady. I happened to overhear your dilemma, and perhaps we can help each other. If you can recover what that imp took from you, I can show you how to return to your former self. And, in return, you can recover the mask that the imp stole from me. But, I must ask that you do so within three days. I fear that if I linger here too long, something terrible may happen!"

Link stepped forward. "I'll do it!" he declared. "We'll get that mask back for you!"

"Wonderful!" the Salesman exclaimed. "I know you can do it! But, please hurry! There isn't much time!" At once, Link and Zelda began to leave the Kokiri Forest.

Outside the Kokiri Forest, Zelda, in her normal form, and disguised by a simple cloak she'd conjured with her magic, walked towards Hyrule Castle. To the simple leather purse she carried over one shoulder, she said, "How are you faring, Link?"

A very cross Link poked his head out of the purse. "This _has_ to be the dumbest thing I've ever done." he muttered.

Zelda giggled. "It's the only way you can come safely." she said. "It's a good thing that you're so light enough to carry like this. I couldn't fly with you because you might be blown away by the winds up in the sky!"

"I know, I know." Link grumbled, hiding back in her purse. Then, the disguised Princess saw a caravan in the distance, and walked towards it.

Zelda managed to get a ride with the caravan as it headed for the Castle Town. When night came, the caravan stopped, to set up camp, and Zelda kept back, for fear of being recognized, and to let Link hop out of her purse. Zelda smiled as her now-tiny boyfriend stretched and began to move about. When he'd gotten his land-legs back, he looked at her. "So, you _really_ don't think I'm ugly?" he asked.

"No, Link." Zelda said. "No matter what you look like, you're still you. I still see a kind, brave, honest, caring, noble soul, and _nothing_ can change that."

At that, Link's eyes brightened, and Zelda knew that he was smiling. "Thanks, Zel." he said. Then, he yawned. "Well, I'm turning in." he squeaked.

Zelda smiled, and motioned to her lap. "You can sleep here." she said. "I trust you."

Zelda giggled to herself as she saw Link's eyes widen in surprise at first, then calmed. "O-Okay." he said. Then, he walked over to her lap, and lay down. "You...have a very soft lap, Zelda..." he murmured, and then his eyes closed in sleep.

Zelda smiled, as she softly stroked the hair of her lover. She'd meant every word: no matter how he looked, she loved him still. Her smile grew; it was so strange, to have the man who'd saved her – and Hyrule – in her lap like this.

Was this a hint of what it was like to be wed to him?

By the time they reached the Town, dawn had come; only two days remained until the Carnival. Link stayed in Zelda's purse until they were inside the Town Library, to research the mask that Stal had been wearing. Zelda took him to the farthest part of the Library, where no-one went anymore, and Link hopped out of her purse. Link then could only watch as Zelda began to research the mask; he was too little to help.

After a while, Zelda called, "Is _this_ the mask?" Hopping up onto a nearby chair, Link looked at the illustration.

It was the same mask.

"That's the one, Zel." Link confirmed. "That's the mask he wore."

Zelda looked stricken. "Link..." she murmured, "...that mask...is _Majora's_ Mask. Ages ago, Majora was said to be the patron deity of an evil cult that terrorized Hyrule. My ancestor, Hyrule's King of that time, led the Knights into battle against the cult and destroyed them. Without his worshipers to sustain his power, Majora changed into a mask – _that_ mask. It is said that any who wears the mask will receive Majora's dark and terrible powers...but if the wearer keeps the mask on too long…Majora will possess him..._permanently_."

"Oh, _no_!!" Tatl cried, darting out of Link's cap. "We have to save Stal! He isn't a bad guy! I mean, sure, he likes to pull pranks, but he isn't _evil_!"

"Calm down, Tatl." Link assured the tiny pixie. "We'll rescue Stal _and_ Tael." Then, Link noticed four books, each one on a pedestal, and each one locked tight. "What are _those_ books?" he inquired.

"I don't know." Zelda admitted. "Those books have been locked tight for as long as I can remember."

"Well, we'd better head to Hyrule Castle." Link sighed. "If Majora _is_ on the warpath, he may try to attack the Castle." At that, they all headed for the Castle.

Caspian had simply been out for a walk when he saw the green-capped Deku Scrub leave the Library, and he darted out of sight, keeping an eye on him. He could scarcely contain his glee. Link was _repulsive_! At last, the usurper had gotten what he deserved...

But then Zelda walked out after him, clearly unaffected by Link's appearance.

Caspian was _furious_. Zelda was supposed to be _repulsed_ by Link!! Couldn't that stupid Majora do _anything_ right?!

Caspian, sulking, headed for his home. He needed to think of a new plan to break those two apart.

By the time Zelda had snuck Link into the Castle, the sun was setting. She'd managed to talk to her father alone. Then, she'd let Link out of her purse.

To say that her father was surprised was an understatement.

Once Link had explained what had taken place, the King nodded. "...and you believe that this...Majora will strike here?" he asked.

"I believe so, Sire." Link said. "All we can do is wait until he makes his move."

"I see." the King replied. "Well, I'll keep my eyes open. In the meantime, I'd advise the both of you to get some rest. It's been a long few days."

Link and Zelda nodded. Link scooted off to his room, and Zelda was about to head to hers, when she happened to glance out the window at the coming night sky. In the sky, off in the distance, was a flickering red light. It was the Dragon Star, the comet that passed Hyrule yearly by. Its path left the skies ablaze with color as it passed, just as the morning sun rose on the day of the Carnival of Time, and it was often seen in the distance a few days before the Carnival.

But Zelda had _never_ seen it look _this_ big, before, no this early.

Her father joined her at the window. "Hmm..." he murmured thoughtfully, "...the Dragon Star looks..._closer_, this year."

Zelda retired to her room, uneasy about the looming comet. It seemed as though the comet was bringing ill tidings instead of good, this year.

Link woke up late in the morning; now less than a day remained until the Carnival. Link stayed in his room, awaiting Majora's attack, visited by Zelda, who shared her worries about the coming Dragon Star with him, and Link felt that this was no coincidence.

It was near sundown when Link felt his Triforce of Courage warning him: evil was nearby. Quickly, he darted out, to find Zelda, to warn her.

He found her in her own room, and they quickly hurried to the throne room, where the King, Caspian, and Delia, who'd chosen to stay for the Carnival, were. Just then, a form of blazing dark fire formed – Majora's face. "_Hello, King of Hyrule._" the dark entity hissed.

"Majora." the King said.

"_Indeed._" Majora sneered. "_Your rule – as well as your entire kingdom – is doomed._"

"But why?" the King asked.

"_Your family drove out my followers._" Majora snarled. "_The Royal Family is about to learn the price of crossing Majora!! Your land is done._"

Link stepped forward, his courage preventing him from standing by. "Not if I have anything to say about it!" he declared.

Majora laughed. "_**You**?! A squeaky little Scrub?! Against a **god**?! Don't make me laugh!!_"

"You're no god, Majora." Link said. "You're nothing but a..."

"_SILENCE!!_" Majora roared. "_Enough is enough. I was going to save this for tomorrow morning, but I won't wait any longer!_" Then, all of a sudden, everyone in the throne room was teleported away.

They all reappeared atop Hyrule Castle's ceremonial tower, upon the ceremonial stone floor, with only the night skies above them...and the blazing Dragon Star. Link was in shock at how close it was: he could clearly see the crags and craters in the ancient space-rock. There was no mistaking it, now.

It was on a collision course with Hyrule Castle and the Town.

Then, Link saw Stal, possessed by Majora's power, floating high above them, holding the Ocarina of Time, with Tael floating beside him. "_Your land will burn in dragon's fires._" Majora cackled.

"The Dragon Star...you're going to make it crash..." the King murmured.

Then, Navi and Tatl darted out of Link's cap. "_Sis_!!" Tael cried as he saw his sister.

"Tael!!" Tatl cried. "Hang on, little brother!"

"Tatl, _listen_!" Tael called. "Swamp. Mountain. Ocean. Canyon. _Hurry_! The four who are there...you've got to bring them _here_!!"

"_Huh_??" Tatl asked. "What are you talking about?"

"_SHUT UP!!_" Majora screamed, backhanding Tael. "_Don't speak out of line, you stupid pixie!!_"

"_No_!" Tatl cried. "Stal, _fight_ it!"

"_The puppet is mine_." Majora hissed. "_And the rest of you...are dead._" Then, he raised his arms to the comet, and let out a loud cry, waves of energy leaving his hands. At that, the comet began to fall faster, coming down in _minutes_ instead of hours, a deadly red corona surrounding it as it entered the atmosphere.

Link met Zelda's gaze, and he saw the utter despair of certain doom there. She was thinking what he was thinking.

Hyrule would never see another Carnival of Time.

But part of Link refused to give up, to give in to this. There _had_ to be a way – Tael had given him a clue, but he needed more time to understand it.

Time...the one thing he _didn't_ have.

'_No_.' Link thought. '_I won't give up_.' There had to be something he could do _now_. He saw the Ocarina in Majora's hand; maybe if he could knock the Ocarina away with a projectile...

_His Bubble-Blaster!!_

Link took aim, and took a big gulp of air. Focusing, he gathered his magic, and began to slowly exhale, blowing a big bubble. With the rest of his air, he let the bubble fly, and it struck Majora, stunning him and blasting the Ocarina loose, letting it clatter to the ground. Link darted over and reclaimed the Ocarina. He now had what he needed to go back to normal..but there wasn't enough time. '_Please_!!' he mentally cried to the heavens. '_I need more time_!'

'**_YOU CAN HAVE IT._**'

The reply echoed through his mind. '_Huh_?" he thought. He hadn't expected an _answer_...

'**_WHEN ZELDA GAVE THAT TO YOU, SHE TAUGHT YOU A SONG. USE IT._**' Then, the mighty, time-spanning voice was gone.

The Song of Time, the song that had opened the Temple of Time..how could _that_ help?

By then, fragments of the comet were starting to fall, impacting the tower's surface. Zelda ran to Link's side. "Link...we're out of time..." she murmured.

"Maybe not." Link said. "Zelda, do you trust me?"

"With my life."

Link held out his hand to her. "We'll be okay." he said. Smiling now, Zelda knelt to his level, and took his hand.

At least, if this didn't work, they'd be together.

Link put the Ocarina to his nozzle-mouth, and it instantly changed to a tuba-like set of Deku Pipes, so he could use it properly. He then played the Song of Time, the slow, meaningful melody that seemed to echo across Time itself, made somewhat screechy by the Pipes. Once he'd finished, he gave Zelda's hand a comforting squeeze, holding on tight.

Time seemed to stop. The comet froze in place, as did Majora, the King, Delia, and Caspian, as if all of their actions were now recorded, and only Link and Zelda left with freedom of action. Then, light flashed, and they began to see the past few days' events begin to re-play, but in reverse: coming to the Castle, the Library, the Deku Tree...and then, it all went dark.

When Link came to, it was to the familiar sounds of the forest. He sat up, and saw Zelda beside him unconscious. Slowly, she, too, sat up. "Link?" she asked.

"Zelda, are you okay?" Link asked, worried.

"I...think so." Zelda replied. "But...where are we?"

"We're...in the Deku Tree's grove..." Link murmured. "But...what..."

He recalled that the Dragon Star had been falling, but saw no signs of it here. It all looked...

...exactly as it had three days ago, as it had when he and Zelda had come here.

"How is this possible?" Link asked. "What's going _on_?"


	4. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO: A NEW QUEST

Link and Zelda looked around, as did Navi and Tatl. "Everything has...started over..." Navi murmured. "Link...did the Song of Time do that?"

"It...must have." Link said. "I have no other explanation."

"Hey!" Tatl squeaked. "Now you have your instrument back! The Mask Salesman can change you back to normal!"

"Hey, that's right!" Link exclaimed. "Let's go!" At that, they all hurried to find the Salesman.

The Mask Salesman wasn't far from where they'd reappeared. "Oh?" the Salesman said. "Did you get your precious object back already?"

"Yes, I did!" Link exclaimed.

"_Wonderful_!" the Salesman declared. "Now to return to normal, play this melody. It's a song I use to heal evil magic and troubled spirits, sealing them into masks – it's been a great help to my collection! Remember this, the Song of Healing." He put two fingers to his lips, and whistled out a soft, soothing melody, which made all the pain in the world seem to melt away. Link took out his Deku Pipes, and played the Song, etching its notes into his memory. Once its tones echoed away, he began to feel drowsy, his sight getting dark...

When his vision cleared, he heard a clank at his feet…and he was now looking the Salesman in the eye. He checked himself over – he was back to normal, not a hair out of place, _exactly_ as he looked before! "I'm me again!" he laughed; even his voice was normal again. He turned to Zelda, returning her smile, before he lifted her up by the waist and spun with her, loving the sound of her happy laugh, and then embracing her.

"Oh, I've missed this." Zelda cooed, cuddling into him.

Link chuckled. "I thought you said you loved me no matter _what_ I looked like." he teased.

"I _do_!" Zelda laughed. "And it _is_ nice to cuddle you when you're the size of a teddy bear," she cuddled deeper into his embrace, "but it's even _nicer_ when you cuddle _back_. I love you, no matter what."

"I know, sweetheart, and I love you, too." Link replied, and he punctuated the sentence by giving her a loving kiss, which she eagerly returned. When the kiss ended, Link turned to the Salesman, still holding Zelda in his arms, happy to once again hold the woman he loved. "Thank you, sir; thank you very much."

The Salesman held out what had fallen at Link's feet – a Deku Mask, resembling the face of the Deku Scrub body he'd once had. "Wear this to return to Deku form whenever you like." he said. As Link took the Mask, the Salesman held out his hand. "Now, as you promised, give me my mask, please."

Link's face fell. "Uh..." he began.

"You _do_ have it..._don't_ you?"

"Um...I'm _working_ on it." Link admitted.

"What have you _done_ to me?!!" the Salesman wailed, wringing his hair in despair. "I worked day and night to get that rare mask, to make sure it was never misused! If you leave it out there, something terrible will happen!!!"

"You...were _protecting_ that mask?" Link inquired.

"Yes, and now _everyone_ is in danger from its horrible power!" the Salesman cried. "If you don't get it back, I don't even want to _think_ about what will happen!"

"We'll get it back." Link promised. "So don't worry." Then, all of a sudden, a bright light flashed, and Rauru, the Sage of Light, and leader of the six Sages of Hyrule, appeared. Rauru seemed to be in his late fifties, but was, in reality, much older, having led the _first_ Sages. He was the same height as the King was, with the same build, and he had short, white hair, a white beard, and frost-blue eyes, which gleamed with timeless wisdom, and he was clad in golden robes.

"It seems, Link, that you have found an unexpected power of the Song of Time." Rauru said. "Your Time Magic seems to have given you – with the Ocarina and the Song – the ability to affect time permanently, as well as to re-set time up to three days. Every time you play that melody, you will travel back in time to this point, and any changes you and Princess Zelda affect will be permanently ingrained in the time line."

"Rauru, Tael mentioned four areas." Link said. "What did he mean?"

"He must have meant the four Temples on the edges of Hyrule's borders." Rauru answered. "I do not know exactly what lies there, but I believe that the power there, if summoned, can stop Majora and the Dragon Star."

"Just how powerful _is_ Majora?" Link asked.

"He's no god, if that's what you're wondering." Rauru said. "He is indeed powerful, Link, but you may have deeper powers than any of us here knows."

"What do you mean?" Link asked.

"You know the legend of the power that lies hidden in your lineage?" Link nodded; all those of the family of Wingnar, the Imperial bloodline, held the potential to become a Master Magi, a Magi with powers rivaling that of the _Triforce_. The last – and _only_ – Master Magi had been Link's ancestor, the Grand Magus, the first Emperor of Aldare, who'd lived over 5000 years ago, before Aldarian civilization had fled its dying birth-planet, Aldare Prime, and came here. "_All_ those in your family hold that potential, Link. Keep it in mind. Regardless, you must find the Temples, and stop Majora. Good luck, Hero of Time." Then, Rauru vanished in a flash of light.

"Well, we'd better go." Zelda said. "And don't try to talk me out of it, Link. I'm not letting you do this alone. Besides, I have better control over my magic, now – I can help!"

"Okay." Link agreed, smiling, knowing enough not to try and argue with her; her mind was made up. "So, where do we go, now?"

Navi darted out of Link's cap. "Tael mentioned a swamp." she said. "I remember hearing about a swamp south of the Forest Temple, called...Woodfall, I think. Maybe _that's_ where he meant."

"It's as good a place as any." Link agreed. "Well, let's go!" Then, taking out the Ocarina of Time, he played the Minuet of Forest, transporting himself, Zelda, Navi, and Tatl to the Forest Temple.

Arriving at the Forest Temple, Link and Zelda headed south towards Woodfall, with Tatl circling Zelda's head – she'd chosen to accompany Zelda as Navi did with him. The path through the woods was fairly level, easy to traverse, with plenty of space between the trees. They hiked until it got dark, and then they stopped for the night, and Link began building a campfire. "We'll get going again at sunrise." he said.

Zelda nodded, as she conjured a blanket, wrapping herself in it. "Link?" she asked, a bit shyly. "Could I...sleep with you?"

Link's eyes widened. "P-Pardon??" he asked, not sure if he'd heard right.

"Oh, no, I didn't mean like _that_!" Zelda exclaimed, blushing. "It's just...I'd feel safer if you were with me."

"Oh." Link said, and then he smiled. "Of course you can, sweetheart." Zelda returned the smile, and she moved to his side. Link held her close, letting the blanket cover them both, letting her relax into him, and Zelda soon fell asleep. Smiling, Link kissed her forehead, before falling asleep himself.

_Link was lying in bed with Zelda, his new wife. Their wedding had been today, a beautiful ceremony. But now, all that mattered was this peaceful moment, their clothing left in piles at the bedside, the bed-sheets the only thing covering them. _

_Zelda was smiling at him happily, her crystal eyes sparkling with love for him, pure love. Smiling back, Link took her in his arms, holding her close to him, savoring the feel of her silky skin on his, listening to the tiny, blissful gasp from his beautiful wife as their bodies began to meld together. Then, her hands rested upon his chest, as did her head, as she willingly surrendered to him, trusting him completely – a trust he would never betray. Link lovingly kissed her once, before slowly moving her to the side, moving atop her. She was so delicate, so fragile...and so breathtakingly beautiful...he had to make this special for her. As he leaned down, to kiss her, Zelda's beautiful eyes closed, in perfect trust and blissful surrender, as her head leaned up, toward his face, in sweet anticipation. Slowly, Link leaned down, to seal her perfect lips with his own; in seconds, pure bliss would be theirs..._

Link woke up with a start, still at their campsite, still holding the sweetly sleeping Zelda in his arms. He took extra care in holding her, as he contemplated the dream.

That dream had been _too_ real, almost..._prophetic_.

Link had been considering asking her to marry him for a while, now. And he did find her _incredibly_ attractive, but he would not dishonor her that way; he loved her too much. Whatever that dream was, in _real_ life, it would have to wait until they were properly wed. Still, to be safe, Link didn't go back to sleep.

He was glad that the sun was almost up.

The sun soon rose on the second day, and Link and Zelda rose with it, setting off in the direction they'd been heading before. Before long, the ground began to show signs of getting marshy. Soon, they were in a swamp, with the water an eerie violet color. "Be careful!" Navi squeaked. "That water is _poisonous_! It will hurt you if you touch it! The Deku Scrub Tribe must live somewhere around here!"

"How can they live among poisoned waters?" Zelda asked.

"We'd best ask them." Link said, and he pointed to a large wooden palace in the center of a lake of toxic water – the Deku Palace. "_I'll_ go." Link said. "I can get across the water safely." With that, he donned the Deku Mask, becoming a Scrub once more. Running towards the water, he leapt off, hopping on its surface, once, twice, three times, four times, and then landing on the entrance-dock on the fifth. He then hurried inside.

In the Palace, Link saw numerous Deku Scrubs, and they were all very sick, their leaves withering – they were dying. He walked to the largest Scrub – their King, he assumed. "What's going on?" he asked.

"The waters from the sacred Woodfall Swamp..." the King moaned. "Something must have happened at Woodfall Temple...the waters became poisoned...if nothing changes...all the Deku will die..."

"How can I stop this?" Link asked. "Surely the waters can be cleansed!"

"If the evil in the Temple is purged, then the toxins might vanish." the King said. "But, to enter the Temple, you will need the Sonata of Awakening. I will teach it to you...you are our last hope." With the last of his energy, the Deku King whistled out a quick, uplifting tune, one that could rouse _any_ soul. Then, the Deku King collapsed into exhausted slumber. Etching the notes into his memory, Link left the Palace.

Returning to Zelda and Tatl, Link removed the Deku Mask, returning to normal. "They're dying." he said. "Majora's evil must have tainted Woodfall. If the poison doesn't leave soon, they'll not last long."

"We have to get to Woodfall, to save them!" Zelda exclaimed. "But...where _is_ it?"

"I bet if we follow the flow of the poison water, we'll find it!" Tatl exclaimed.

"Good idea!" Link agreed. "Let's go!" With that, they began to follow the trail of the poison water.

The water led them to a swampy cove, full of the toxic water, with one large tree in the center, the poisoned swamp dotted with large tree stumps, and a wooden, ceremonial altar at the far end of the swamp.

Woodfall.

Link began to leap from one stump to the next, heading towards the altar, as Zelda changed to her Fairy-form and flew to it. When Link and Zelda reached the altar, Link could look down at the entire swamp.

The poison was flowing from the large tree.

Looking upon the altar, he saw that the image of a Deku Scrub was carved into the wood. Link instantly understood, and donned the Deku Mask, becoming a Scrub once more. Taking out his Deku Pipes, he played the Sonata of Awakening, its tones now a bit more screechy from his Pipes. At once, the tree began to rise up, revealing a stone temple wrapped in its roots, its only entrance a fair distance from the altar, well out of reach.

Woodfall Temple.

As the Temple rose, a bright pink, large blossom – a Deku Flower – sprouted before Link's feet. Zelda promptly flew to the Temple's entrance, but paused, wondering how Link could get there. Link, however, was ahead of her; he burrowed into the Flower, and shot out of it towards the entrance, holding two pink helicopter-flowers, allowing him to stay aloft. As he touched down at the entrance, the flowers vanished, as he no longer needed them. Then, Link and Zelda entered the Temple together.

The first chamber was _very_ dark, only sparsely lit by several torches, and interspersed with large tree branches from the walls, each with a Deku Flower. Link noticed that Zelda was at ill ease, and he understood; as a Fairy, Zelda's powers weakened in the darkness, and, as a result, she was a bit afraid of it. To encourage her, Link took the lead, flying from one Deku Flower to the next, crossing the room and landing before the next door. He removed the Deku Mask, becoming normal once more, and held out his hands to her. "You can do it, Zel." he called. Zelda took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and flew as fast as she could towards him, her lovely wings fluttering rapidly, until she was safely in Link's waiting arms. Link gave a few seconds to focus, before they headed into the next chamber.

The next room was much larger, and, to Zelda's relief, much better-lit. They were on a platform overlooking a large poison-pool, with a large wooden flower in its center, its petals folded up. Spotting an unlit torch in its center, Link took out his fine, oaken Fairy Bow and fitted a Fire Arrow to it. He let it fly, and the enchanted, fiery projectile ignited the torch. At once, the flower began to open, rising up to their level, slowly turning in place. As it did, the water began to de-toxify, becoming normal water.

Link then noticed three doors now available to them; with the flower spinning, they could reach them. The one directly ahead was barred by iron bars, but the other two on the sides of the room were not. Link hopped on one petal, letting it take him to the left-hand door, before somersaulting off, landing before it. Zelda flew after him, and they headed in together.

The next room was a dead-end, with a few small puddles of water. Link and Zelda were about to turn around, when the door sealed itself with iron bars! Link turned around in time to see a pair of humanoid lizards. Clad in armor and brandishing swords, leap down from the rafters – Dinolfos.

As Zelda took to the air, Link drew his Sword and Shield, closing on the Dinolfos. As one Dinolfos swung at him, Link blocked the attack with his Shield, and countered with a stab-attack. The Dinolfos leapt back, and breathed flame at Link, who rolled clear of the fire, moving to the side. Link then holstered his Shield on his back, and drew his Grapple-Hook-Launcher, clipping it to his shield-arm. He fired the Hook at one Dinolfos, snagging its weapon, and reeled it in, destroying it with a back-spin slash.

As the other Dinolfos began to close on Link, Zelda, from her vantage-point, quickly cast a spell, throwing miniature flares of light at it, blinding and injuring it. Link coupled her magical assault with his own attack, as he drew two of his Spell-Strikers, and threw the crystalline blades. The first one set the monster ablaze, and the second froze it solid...and then the interaction of fire and ice blasted the monster apart.

As Link sheathed his weapons, Zelda touched down beside him. "You've been practicing." he said to her, smiling.

"So have you." Zelda replied, and Link saw the admiration and love in her eyes. Returning her smile, Link opened the door, and he and Zelda were about to leave the room...

"_Wait!! Don't leave me!!_"

Startled, Link turned to see a tiny sphere of winged, neon-pink light flutter over to him and Zelda – it was a small Fairy. "_Thank you for saving me!!_" the tiny pixie squeaked.

"Link," Zelda said, "that's a Stray Fairy! Stray Fairies are the 'scouts' for more powerful Fairies, like the Great Fairies. Stray Fairies are always bright in color, and their colors reflect the Fairy they serve!"

"_You're right, Princess!_" the Stray Fairy squeaked. "_But I don't serve a Great Fairy; I'm one of the servants of Queen Epheremelda, herself!_"

Zelda gasped, and Link understood why. Zelda's mother, the late Queen Alara, was the youngest daughter of Epheremelda, the Queen of the Fairy Race, making her Zelda's grandmother. Link and Zelda had never heard any word sent from the Fairy Queen.

Until now.

"Why...are you here?" Zelda stammered, nervous about talking to an emissary of her grandmother, one who would surely tell her grandmother about how she acted.

"_Those horrible monsters kidnapped me!_" the Stray Fairy wailed. "_We Stray Fairies often carry out errands for our elders. Her Majesty instructed me to investigate three of the Great Fairies on Hyrule's borders; they had reported that they each were missing a Stray Fairy. But, after this incident, I'm convinced that evil forces have captured them like they did with me!_"

Link nodded. "We're going to be traveling around the borders in the next little while." he said. "We'll have an eye out for these Stray Fairies."

"_Oh, thank you!! Thank you so much!!_" the Stray Fairy exclaimed. "_Her Majesty will be so happy to hear that this crisis is being resolved by the Hero of Time! And I bet the Great Fairies will reward you for returning their Stray Fairies!_"

"No reward is necessary." Link said. "I'm only here to help."

"_Oh, but I think you can use the reward a Great Fairy can give!_" the Stray Fairy said. "_Great Fairies often hold all sorts of magical tools and relics; I'm sure any of them would gladly give any of these to help you in your quest! Well, I'd best go report to Her Majesty! Good luck!_" Then, the Stray Fairy flew off, out through the door, to leave the Temple. Link and Zelda then left that room, using the wooden flower to cross to the next one, the right-hand door.

The next chamber showed two target-like switches: one with a bow-and-arrow insignia, the other marked by a pair of fairy-wings. Acting on a hunch, Link drew his Bow and shot an arrow at the bow-target; sure enough, as the arrow hit it, it illuminated. Zelda promptly charged a spell-ball and threw it at her target, which instantly lit up. Then, a new target appeared, marked by the face of a Deku Scrub. Link donned the Deku Mask and fired a bubble at it.

Once all three switches were illuminated, iron bars sealed the door, and a large, spiked-shelled turtle appeared, and charged at Link, whirling its deadly shell. Using his Spin-Dash, Deku-Link zipped out of the way, before he removed the Deku Mask and returned to normal, drawing his Sword and Shield as Zelda took to the air. Link circled the beast and, when it stopped, unleashed a leaping slash...only to have his blade clang uselessly against its shell. Zelda unleashed a shower of flaring lights to distract it as Link backed up to re-group. "Link, that's a Mad Snapper!" Navi squeaked. "It's only vulnerable on its underside!"

Spotting a Deku Flower, Link got an idea. Darting over to the Flower, he donned the Deku Mask and burrowed into it. When the Snapper passed over him, he popped out, flipping the Snapper over. Link then changed back to normal and unleashed a leaping-attack on the Snapper's belly, destroying it. Then, the bars on the door lifted, letting them leave.

Outside, Link and Zelda saw the bars on the last door lift, and they used the flower to get to it, opening the door and going through. The next room was over a pool of water, with several stone pillars leading to a larger door on the far side. Zelda easily flew across the room, and Link effortlessly leapt from one pillar-top to the next, pausing only on one with a Deku Flower – he had to fly to the next one, which was on fire. Zelda looked around, and spied another fairy-wing switch, and she fired at it, dousing the flames. Link used the Deku Mask, burrowed into the Flower, and flew across, changing back as he landed. With two more leaps, he landed before the door, as Zelda touched down next to him. Opening the door, they headed in.

The last room was large, a wide-open space, with a golden Deku-Flower in its center. "I don't like the looks of this..." Link muttered, drawing his weapons. Then, all of a sudden, the sound of drums began to echo through the room, and a 10-foot-tall man, clad in a loincloth and moccasins, dropped from the rafters. He was coated in war-paint, wearing a fearsome war-mask with three feather-trails on its top. He held a large diamond-shaped shield in one hand, and a massive machete-type sword in the other.

Navi darted out. "Link, that's Odolwa, the Masked Jungle Warrior!" she squeaked. "He has different war-chants for all of his attacks – know the chant, and you know the attack! I can't remember _all_ of his attacks, but I know _this_ – the faster-paced the chant is, the more dangerous the attack is!" At that, Link readied himself, as Zelda took to the air.

Odolwa didn't move, keeping to one spot, staying at the ready, his motions slow, loose, and fluid, those of one who had fought many battles. He began chanting, loud, but slowly, warily, as if studying his new foes. Then, he began to bounce in place excitedly, his chant's pace picking up a bit. Hoping to intercept the attack before it started, Link charged at Odolwa, but the jungle-warrior back-flipped away, coming back with a leap-strike, but Link rolled to the side. Then, Zelda, having been given enough time, peppered Odolwa with a spell-salvo, distracting him, and giving Link the opening he needed. Link closed on Odolwa and unleashed a stab-attack, then whirled into a back-spin strike and a horizontal cut.

Odolwa screeched, and countered with a spin slash, nicking Link's shoulder, before leaping away, and then began a different chant – one with a faster pace. Odolwa then came at Link with two low stab-strikes, which were evaded, and then a leaping high-slash, which was blocked, but the impact knocked Link back. Recovering, Link closed on Odolwa, then feinted, causing Odolwa to defend left as Link attacked again on the right with another slashing salvo.

Now, after leaping away, Odolwa raised his hands into the air, and began chanting _very_ rapidly, now. Link then felt a breeze beneath him, and leapt aside _just_ as a miniature tornado formed where he'd just been, vanishing moments later. Odolwa then became a whirling dervish, spinning with his blade, trying to hit Link. As Odolwa approached, Link somersaulted over him, striking the warrior's head with a somersault-slash, before landing perfectly.

Now Odolwa began running about the room, blade flailing. Spying the Deku Flower, Link got an idea, and signaled to Zelda. Link ran for the Flower as Zelda kept Odolwa off-balance with her magic. Donning the Deku Mask, he burrowed into the Flower as Zelda drove Odolwa to the center, making him stand over it. Link then popped out, with _far_ more force than any other Flower had produced, tripping Odolwa and sending him sprawling. Link changed back in mid-air, driving his blade downward into Odolwa's heart, destroying him utterly.

As Link withdrew his blade and sheathed it, Odolwa's body began to crumble, leaving only his mask – Odolwa's Mask – behind. As Link picked up the Mask, a bright light left the Mask, though Link could still sense the dark force that had been Odolwa within it; somehow, Odolwa's body had been a prison for whatever had just escaped. Zelda instantly hurried to Link's side, noticing that he'd been hurt. Link was about to assure her that he was fine, but Zelda simply placed her hands over the injury, and a soft light pulsed from her hands…instantly mending the injury. Link looked at his mended shoulder, and then smiled at Zelda. "You're quite handy." He complimented.

Zelda smiled. "Healing is one of the first magic arts that all Fairies of any size have to learn." She replied. Then, a bright light flashed, just as Link put the Mask away for safekeeping, transporting Link, Zelda, Navi, and Tatl away.

They arrived on an enormous stone pillar in a sea of mystic green clouds, the very air echoing with power. Then, all of a sudden, in the distance, behind the cloud-barrier, stood a being; clearly, it was easily ten times as tall as Hyrule Castle, with powerful legs and arms, strong yet spindly, and as it came into view, they saw that its head and body were as one, with light green hair down the back of its head, with dark red skin, black eyes, and a pointy nose.

This was the gentle soul that Odolwa had held captive – this peaceful giant.

The giant raised its hands, and let out a long, mournful song-call, loud yet gentle, making every note clear. When it finished, it just started over.

"Its cry..." Navi murmured, "...it...sounds so _sad_..."

"Hey..." Tatl piped up, "...could its crying...be a song it's trying to teach us?" Flying forward, Tatl began to ping out each note of the song – a slow, mournful melody, sounding like a cry for help. As Link etched the notes into his memory, he felt the giant's mind gently brush against his own, enough to tell him the song's name.

The Oath to Order.

Once the giant knew they'd understood, he called out in his powerfully gentle ancient voice. "Hey, I think I can hear what he's saying!" Navi exclaimed. "'Call to us'. That's what he's saying! But...what does he mean?"

Suddenly, a green light flashed, and a large, green key dropped into Link's hands – it looked like one of the keys to a locked book at the Town Library! Then, they heard the giant's voice, loud and clear.

'_LEARN._'

"'Learn'??" Link said aloud. But before he could ask what the giant had meant, the bright light engulfed them all again.

The light deposited them just outside Woodfall Temple, with Zelda back in her normal form. The poisoned water was gone, and the swamp seemed to be healing. It was morning, now – the morning of the last day. "What..._was_ that thing?!" Tatl exclaimed, as she circled Zelda's head.

"I don't know," Zelda answered, "but I think he was one of the creatures that your brother asked us to bring to the Ceremonial Tower."

Just then, the Deku people began to come into the swamp, led by their King. "Did you do this?" he asked. "Did you clean our water?"

Link smiled. "Yes, we did." he replied.

"Thank you! You saved us!" the King exclaimed. "We are in your debt!"

"You need not thank us, Sire. We did what _any_ would have done." Link replied. Then, he took out the Ocarina of Time and played the Prelude of Light, and the melody's power enfolded them in its golden light, taking them to the Temple of Time, and the Castle Town.

It was time to take the giant's advice.

It was morning in the Castle Town, and Caspian was out for his morning walk, and he was in a fairly good mood. He hadn't seen that dratted Link for about three days, now, and he assumed Majora's plan was going well. Soon, Zelda would be _his_, and with her, all of Hyrule. He rounded a corner, thinking of how he'd enjoy that gorgeous young fairy princess...

...and darted behind a corner, as he saw Link – a _normal_-looking Link – and Zelda, heading into the Library! He was _beyond_ furious. Couldn't that dratted Majora get _anything_ right?! Fuming, Caspian stormed back to his home, to have a chat with his co-conspirator.

Inside the Library, Zelda waited patiently as Link unlocked the green book with the key, her innate curiosity brimming within her. Once the book was open, Zelda began to read through it. "This book details the locations of the Temples we have to find." she said. "Apparently, long ago, a great cataclysm nearly destroyed the entire world, but a great power – four giants – stopped it, at the spot that is now Hyrule Castle! As this book says, each giant left by a different direction: north, south, east, and west. The giant that went south was the one at Woodfall! Apparently, the giants built the four Temples and their spirits went to sleep inside them, should they ever be needed again."

"And Majora trapped them while they were sleeping." Link observed.

Zelda nodded. "The Temples are at Snowhead in the north, then Woodfall in the south, Great Bay in the west, and in the east..." she trailed off as she saw where the last Temple was, "...Ikana Canyon, in the kingdom of Ikana." she finished, her mind fearful of their former enemy, the now-cursed kingdom of Ikana.

Link didn't miss her change in tone. "Zelda, what's wrong?" he asked.

Meeting her beloved's gaze, Zelda saw his loving concern, and she smiled, knowing she could trust him. "Before I was born, before my father had even _met_ my mother, Hyrule was at war...with Ikana. My father told me about it." she explained. "Ikana's king, Igos du Ikana, declared war on Hyrule. My father's tactics were brilliant, but Igos' soldiers fought like _demons_, so no-one really gained or lost any ground." She closed her eyes. "So many people died...on _both_ sides."

"After five years of war," Zelda continued, "a faction of Ikana rebelled against Igos, opposing the war. All at once, the war against Hyrule ended...as the Ikanian Civil War began, and quickly turned into chaotic bloodshed, as Ikanian fought Ikanian, until a massive sandstorm tore through Ikana. It was the biggest sandstorm _ever_, utterly decimating what was left of Ikana. My father sent scouts into Ikana, to find out if anyone survived or needed help. There were no survivors; it was as if the earth was angry from all the fighting, and swallowed everyone in Ikana _whole_. When the scouts returned to Hyrule, they reported unusual activity – moaning voices, screams, ghostly apparitions – and some scouts were badly injured. Ikana was gone, but its soldiers, having known only war in life, stalked its ruins as bloodthirsty specters. That was the last time _anyone_ tried to go there, for we knew: Ikana was _cursed_."

When she finished, Link gently embraced her, saying, "I'll protect you, Zelda. Those ghosts won't lay a _finger_ on you. I won't let _anything_ hurt you, Zel."

Those words soothed Zelda immensely, as she returned his embrace. "Thank you, Link." she cooed. He was amazing; he _always_ knew what to say or do to make her feel better.

He'd be an _ideal_ husband.

Zelda shook her head, clearing her mind of her fantasies, just as she and Link left the Library, going outside. Now, the fiery Dragon Star was quite large in the sky – they didn't have enough time to get to Snowhead.

Link took out his Ocarina, and played the Song of Time, and the time-warp enfolded them, taking them back in time and permanently etching the good they'd done into the time-line.

Three Temples were left.


	5. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE: COLD CASE

The time-warp deposited them back at the base of the Deku Tree. Taking out his Ocarina, Link played the Bolero of Fire, the melody that could take them to Hyrule's Fire Temple, and used his magic to slightly alter the path of the songs spell. The blazing red light engulfed them, and carried them away.

The song left them at the base of Death Mountain in the north, near the Death Mountain Range. Link and Zelda then continued north towards Snowhead, Zelda transforming and taking to the air for a better view.

It was about mid-day when it began to start snowing, tiny flecks of white beginning to speck down from the sky, and the ground they walked upon had been becoming more and more snow-covered. "Odd." Link noted. "It's _spring_; it shouldn't be snowing." The light snow continued for the rest of the day, but as the sun began to set, it began to snow heavier. And _heavier_.

Link saw that Zelda was shivering – her Fairy-clothing did little to keep her warm. He was starting to get a bit chilly, himself. Then, they saw a village up ahead, the houses visible against the snow-covered ground. Zelda promptly descended, returning to normal, and they hurried towards the village.

As they hurried into the village Inn, the elderly couple who ran the Inn were waiting for them with warm blankets and cups of hot chocolate – they'd seen them coming. "Oh, you poor dears." the elderly lady said. "Out in the cold at _this_ hour? How _dreadful_!"

"You two were a bit of a surprise!" her husband added. "We hardly get any visitors anymore, what with this weather and all."

"It's supposed to be spring." Link said. "Do you have any idea why it's still snowing?"

"Oh, don't worry about it!" the elder lady said, smiling. "Come, and sit by the fire!" Then, the couple ushered them into the living room.

Soon, Link and Zelda were sitting in front of the fire, each draped in a blanket and sipping a cup of hot chocolate, as the Inn owners sat in their rocking chairs. "But as to the weather," the husband continued, "we don't really know why winter hasn't left yet, but there are...rumors."

"Rumors?" Link asked.

"Rumors that the highest mountain, Snowhead, is cursed." the lady said. "There's supposed to be a Temple up there, and evil is leaking from it. Regardless, most of the roads out here are snowed in, so we're stuck, and it's so close to the Carnival, too."

"It's an insult for _us_," the husband added, "but it's an _injury_ to the colony of Gorons a bit further north, where the weather is worse; they're _freezing_, last I heard. And none of us here in the village can go help them because it's so cold that we'd _freeze_ before we got halfway there! Plus, only Gorons can cross _that _path!"

"But that's enough talk." the lady said, smiling. "Why don't you two dears just take your pick of rooms? We've got plenty, and don't worry about the bill; after all, it _is_ nearly Carnival time."

"Thank you very much." Link said, as he and Zelda retired to their respective rooms for the night, to rest up, and set out for the Goron colony in the morning.

The next morning, after saying goodbye to the Inn owners, Link and Zelda set out for the colony – now only two days remained before the Dragon Star struck. Luckily, it wasn't snowing, so they were able to make fast progress. Before long, they came to a large gap in the road, with a wooden jump-ramp over a deep gorge. "If I flew, _I_ could cross." Zelda observed. "But I can't carry you; how would _you_ cross?"

"I don't know." Link said, looking across the gorge. "And I don't see anything for my Hookshot to attach to." Then, he noticed a path to the left. "Maybe there's something this way." he added. Zelda nodded, and they headed down that path.

The path led them to a field filled with many gravestones; the sign above the iron gates read 'Goron Graveyard'. Link felt a chill as he walked into the Graveyard, Zelda staying close to him; this was no ordinary chill.

This was death's chill.

As Link walked over one spot in the Graveyard, the chill intensified. "I wonder..." Link murmured, as he took out a deep purple magnifying glass, with three eyelash-points on the top, with a slitted-eye lens, with one red side and one blue side; it was the Lens of Truth, which allowed any who looked through it to see the truth. Link looked through the red side of the Lens, gently motioning Zelda back...and he froze, for there, in the Lens, was a large, powerfully-built Goron, with muscular arms and legs, with a bit of a pot-belly, like all Gorons had, and a rounded head with white sideburns. A large scar was across his stomach, with a few tiny ones on his face, one just under his left eye.

He was _clearly_ a veteran Goron warrior.

The Goron looked up, saw Link, and arched one eyebrow, as if to say, '_You lookin' at something?_' Link then remembered the full extent of the Lens' power: it had _two_ sides. Looking through the _red_ side allowed one to _see_ the truth.

But looking through the _blue_ side...allowed one to _reveal_ it.

Link flipped the Lens around and looked through it; at once, the Goron became visible to the naked eye, and Link noticed the death-pallor in his skin, replacing the normal earth-brown. Zelda let out a tiny cry of surprise as she saw the Goron, calming quickly. "Where did he come from?" she asked.

The Goron's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait...you kids can _see_ me??" he exclaimed. "Then, _please_, follow me!" With that, the Goron began to run to the back of the Graveyard, towards a cave, and Link and Zelda followed. For such a large Goron, he was _incredibly_ athletic – Link was _just_ able to keep pace with him, but couldn't overtake him, and _he_ was in _good_ shape or better! Zelda had to transform and _fly_ to keep up with them! The Goron entered the cave, and Link and Zelda followed.

The interior of the cave was quite warm and well-lit; Zelda had _no_ trouble staying in her Fairy-form. The Goron stood by a single grave in the cave, and Link had a feeling about whose grave it was. "Who are you?" Link asked. The Goron just gestured to the grave, and Link read its inscription aloud: "'Here lies Darmani the Fifth, Hero of the Gorons, Pride of the 65th Hyrule Battalion.'"

Zelda gasped. "_You're_ Darmani?!" she exclaimed. "You fought in the Hyrule-Ikana War! Your prowess, skill, and strength are _legendary_!" Then, her face fell. "But...if that's _your_ grave...then you're..."

"...a ghost." Darmani finished. "And I _am_." He fixed a gaze on Zelda. "Do I know you, miss? I feel like I've seen you before..." Then, his eyes widened. "Why, you're Princess Zelda!" He lightly bowed. Then, he turned to Link. "So, you must be the kid who pulled out the Master Sword...defeated Ganondorf _and_ Vaati, eh? Not bad, kid – you've got _potential_. You'll do great – take that from someone who's seen his fair share of fighting."

"Wow...thanks, sir." Link said, smiling sheepishly, noticing the smiles of loving pride Zelda was giving him.

"But...what _happened_?" Zelda asked. "How did you die?"

"I was on my way to Snowhead, to discover why winter lingered here." Darmani replied. "I was caught in a blizzard on the way, and I got blind-sided by a little imp with a strange face."

"_Majora_." Link muttered.

"And when I regained consciousness...I was like _this_." Darmani finished. "If nothing changes, my people will soon _join_ me, because I failed. Because of this, my soul cannot rest." He turned to Link. "Lad, you must have magic powers, else you could not have seen me. Please, I beseech you – restore my life with your magic, so I can help my people!"

"I'm sorry, Darmani," Link said sadly, "but I know of no magic – save that of the Triforce – that can restore life to the deceased."

"Then please," Darmani pleaded, "if you can...heal my sorrows. Any way you can...just heal my sorrows."

Link lightly smiled. "_That_ I _can_ do." he said, as he took out his Ocarina, and played the Song of Healing.

As the Song's magic swept over him, Darmani felt his sorrows slip away. In his mind, he saw all his Goron friends, cheering for him, despite his failure; they still believed in him. He still had a job to do.

Slowly, Darmani's spectral form began to disintegrate, leaving behind a mask of a Goron's face – the Goron Mask. As Link picked up the Mask, he heard Darmani's voice call out to him: "_I entrust my spirit to you, lad. Whatever skills I have, make use of them, and save my people! Before you leave here, you may want to move my grave to the side; my fellow Gorons may not have noticed something as they put my gravestone in place._" Slowly, Link put on the Goron Mask, and felt a surge of energy wash over him.

When the energy was gone, Link now looked quite different. He now inhabited the body of a Goron, identical in height and build to Darmani, with the same white sideburns. He still had his green cap, his gauntlets, and his boots, with a green kilt about his waist.

Navi darted out of Link's cap. "Wow, Link! You're a Goron, now!" she squeaked. "You're a lot stronger in this form. You can't use any of your weapons, but I bet your punch could level a _wall_! Plus, you can roll into a ball and pound the ground, and bowl over any nearby foes. Not only that, but you can roll around very quickly, and since you have magic, if you stay rolling long enough, your body will sprout spikes, making you move a _lot_ faster, as well as flattening any monster dumb enough to get in your way!"

"I guess we can cross that gap, now." Link said, now using Darmani's throaty, grumbly voice. "But let's see what Darmani's friends missed when they put up his gravestone." Then, Link put his hands to the stone and _pushed_; slowly, the stone slid to the side slightly...enough for a bright green Stray Fairy to dart out. "_Oh, thank you, thank you!_" she squeaked. "_I was taking a nap when some Gorons put that big stone over my napping place, and I got stuck! Thank you so much! My mistress lives up on Snowhead; if you bring me there, I'm sure she'll reward you!_" Then, the little Stray Fairy joined in orbiting Link's head with Navi, as Link and Zelda left Darmani's tomb.

As they exited the tomb, Link saw a couple of Gorons heading towards the tomb. As they saw Link, they stopped in their tracks. "_D-Darmani_?!" the leader cried. "But...but you died!"

"Uh...I got better." Link said, thinking fast.

The second one spoke up. "I _knew_ the great Darmani wouldn't stay down! I _knew_ it!" he said. "I bet he's come to break the curse at Snowhead!"

"Uh..._yes_." Link answered truthfully. "I was just heading there, now."

"Darmani, before you go, could you help us?" the first Goron asked. "The Elder has gone missing somewhere around here, and we can't find him! Could you please help us search for him?"

"Of course!" Link replied.

"Great!" the Goron said. "We'll keep looking out here. You head back to the Goron Shrine; maybe we missed something on the way!" Then, the two Gorons headed on their way. Link then rolled into a ball and rolled towards the gap, building up speed, until his body sprouted spikes, giving him traction. He zoomed over the gap, landing and unrolling on the other side. Zelda easily flew across to join him, changing back as she touched down. Then, they continued on their way.

The path ahead was fairly clear, leading through a small valley. After a while, they came to an enormous snowball, which blocked the path ahead. From within the snowball came a muffled cry. Link drew back, and, with one mighty Goron-punch, smashed the snowball, revealing an old, wrinkly Goron, with long white hair draped over his eyes: the Goron Elder.

The Elder looked at Link. "_D-Darmani_?! You're _alive_? _How_..?" he murmured, then shook his head. "_No_! The cold must be getting to me! You're not _real_!"

"Yes, I am real." Link said. "Your people are worried about you."

"My people...my...son..." the Elder murmured. "Have I been gone long..?" To Link he added, "Darmani, be you ghost or figment of my imagination, I no longer care. I will begin to head home. I want you to go ahead and check on my son...and if he is crying...gently sing him to sleep with this song." The Elder sat down, took out a small drum, and began to softly tap out a soft, sleepy, soothing melody. He repeated it once, making sure Link got it. "That's all I can play – my hands are so cold." he added. "Now, go; I'll be fine." Nodding, Link headed onwards, and Zelda followed.

Before long, they reached a fairly large, multi-domed building: the Goron Shrine. Link and Zelda headed in, but not before Link removed the Goron Mask, not wishing to deceive any more Gorons. The instant they entered, their ears were assaulted by a loud wailing: a child's cry. All the Gorons were covering the sides of their heads, trying to block out the noise. "What _is_ that?" Link asked one Goron over the noise.

"It's the Elder's son." the Goron replied. "Ever since the Elder left to try and break the curse on Snowhead, his son has been inconsolably lonely. Nothing we do to calm him works; the poor child just won't stop crying, and it's driving us all _crazy_!"

Link and Zelda headed to the upper levels of the Shrine, where the crying was coming from, and found a small Goron child, with a small tuft of white hair on his head, clad in diaper-style pants, sitting in a cradle, crying his eyes out. "_WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!_" the Goron child bawled. "Daddy, where are you?! Daddy! I'm cold, Daddy!" Then, he just kept crying.

"Oh, the poor little thing..." Zelda said. "He misses his father..."

Link took out his Ocarina, and played the song the Elder had taught him. Slowly, the child's tears subsided. "Hey...w-wait a minute..." he murmured, "...that's the song Daddy plays for me when I can't sleep...but it's missing a part. I'll sing the next part." The Goron child sat up and sang the melody, adding a few more notes at the end, completing the melody – the Goron Lullaby. Then, Link began to play the Lullaby, and Zelda joined in, melding her beautiful siren voice with the music, creating a beautiful lullaby.

As the song ended, the child's eyes began to get heavy. "It's like...Daddy's right here beside me..." he murmured, "...good-night." Then, he fell asleep.

Link turned to Zelda. "We'd better get to Snowhead, now." he said. Zelda nodded, and they left the Shrine, and found a path marked by a sign that led to Snowhead. They took the snowy path, and headed for Snowhead.

By the time they reached Snowhead, night had fallen, but they were there. Snowhead Temple stood at the far end of a long, narrow ice-path, overlooking a deep gorge. As Link and Zelda headed for the path, a sudden gust of wind blew them back. The wind blew again, in a clear pattern, like...

...breathing.

Acting on a hunch, Link took out the Lens of Truth and looked through its red side. There, sitting in their path, was an enormous Goron, guarding Snowhead Temple, his back to the towering snow-and-ice spire of the Temple. Link had a feeling that the Goron Lullaby would put him to sleep, but with the Ocarina, the tune wouldn't carry far enough. Donning the Goron Mask, he took out the Ocarina, which changed into a set of Goron bongo drums. Link then played the Lullaby on the drums; at once, the large Goron fell asleep, curling into a ball, and rolled to the side. Link changed back to normal, and he and Zelda headed across the frozen bridge, standing before the cave-entrance of the Temple. Suddenly, the green Stray Fairy perked up. "_My mistress' Fountain is nearby! Follow me!_" she squeaked, and she flew around to the side of the Temple, leading Link and Zelda to another cave, in the side of the spire. The Stray Fairy darted in, and Link and Zelda followed.

The Stray Fairy led them into an underground Fairy Fountain: a vast, shallow pool of water, glowing with an ethereal green light, covered by a white stone dome, supported by six stone columns. The Stray Fairy flitted over to the pool, and circled it. "_My Lady, I'm here!_" she squeaked. "_These travelers rescued me!_"

Instantly, the glow of the pool intensified, and a tall, elegantly built woman, with gleaming emerald skin, and short, shining green hair, with translucent fairy-wings, clad in a shimmery gown rose from the pool – she was a Great Fairy. She smiled at them. "_The Hero of Time...and our Queen's granddaughter..._" she cooed. "_Thank you for rescuing my helper. I have kept something hidden here, something that the masked evil one would covet, if he knew it were here. I wish to entrust this item to you, Hero of Time. Take it!_" With that, she gestured, and something began to rise up from the pool, and floated to Link.

It was a cane, about the length of Link's arm, curled in on itself at its tip, the entire cane a rich brown, with a light blue gem embedded in the tip. As Link took it in his hand, he felt a shock of magic flow through his arm. There was no doubt about it.

This was a powerful magical tool.

"_This is the Cane of Sumaria._" the Great Fairy explained. "_It was crafted in the ancient land of Sumaria, long ago. It was given the power to convert magical energy to matter, and matter back to energy, as well as control energy. With it, you can convert magical energy into solid blocks, which you can use for many things; you can make small blocks for depressing switches, or larger ones to use as stepping stones. You can also convert these blocks back into energy, and use that energy as deadly magical projectiles, or detonate the blocks in powerful explosions of magic energy. Use it wisely._"

Link beheld the Cane for a few more moments, before putting it away. "Thank you." he said to the Great Fairy. "I promise, I will use the Cane to defeat Majora and his evil." The Great Fairy nodded, and then returned to her pool. Link and Zelda then left the Fountain, and headed into the frozen spire of Snowhead Temple.

Within the icy Temple, it was cold, even without the blowing winds. Link and Zelda headed through the first door, and came to a suspension log-bridge, over a pool of lava, with a large gap in the bridge, with a ramp leading over it; a ramp for Goron-rolling. Link donned the Goron Mask, rolled into a ball, and rolled across the bridge, gathering enough speed to sprout spikes, and flew over to the other side of the bridge, landing and changing back. Zelda then changed to her Fairy-form, and flew across to him, landing and changing back; it was too cold to stay in her sparkly Fairy-outfit. The two then headed into the next room.

The next chamber was composed of grey-white stone tiles, with glowing blue tiles interspersed across the floor. Suddenly, out of one of the tiles, rose a short, spindly humanoid, clad in blue robes and a broad-rimmed hat. "Link, that's a Wizzrobe!" Navi exclaimed. "It uses those tiles to teleport around the room! Watch where it goes, and attack it when it stops! If you can knock it off its tile, it'll be vulnerable!"

The Wizzrobe vanished, and reappeared over another tile, firing a blast of ice magic at Link, who rolled aside as the Wizzrobe vanished. Link drew the Cane of Sumaria as Zelda transformed, taking to the air. Link focused, concentrating; he possessed the Triforce of Courage, which enabled him to sense evil. He used that ability now on a much finer tune than before, to track the Wizzrobe's path...

_The tile in the far-left corner!_

Instantly, Link turned and pointed the Cane at the tile in the corner on the far-left side, conjuring a large, orange block on top of it, just as the Wizzrobe began to materialize there. Link focused, and the block exploded in an impressive blast, damaging the Wizzrobe and knocking him off his tile. Link instantly put the Cane away and drew the Master Sword, the sacred blade emitting a fine _shing_ as it cleared the leather of its scabbard. Link closed on the Wizzrobe and unleashed a leaping slash, just as Zelda cast a spell, sending a deadly blast of enchanted fire at the Wizzrobe. Both attacks connected at the same time, and the Wizzrobe yelped, retreating back to its tiles.

Now the Wizzrobe began creating copies of itself, which began to dart around the room; its own evil magic was fueling the duplicates, making it harder for Link to track its path. And so he didn't try; instead, he looked around the room, looking for one Wizzrobe that was doing something that the others weren't doing. Then, he saw the Wizzrobe to his right begin readying a spell, while the others remained in motion. Link drew the Cane again, and conjured a smaller block, then converted it into a small, concentrated ball of energy, sending it flying at the Wizzrobe; the ball connected in a deadly flash of energy, blasting the Wizzrobe off the tile, dissipating its clones. Link drew his Sword and leapt to the attack, and Zelda cast a bolt of enchanted lightning; both of their attacks struck as one, utterly annihilating the Wizzrobe. The blue tiles vanished, and a door to the next room appeared, and opened, allowing Link and Zelda to go through.

The next room led them onto a circular, large stone pillar, at the bottom of a tall, tall room – the interior of the main spire. Link and Zelda walked onto the pillar, and Link spied two switches – both were too large for him to weigh down on his own. Link took out the Cane of Sumaria, and conjured a large block on one switch, which weighed it down. Then, he put the Cane away and donned the Goron Mask, rolled up, rolled onto the switch, and pounded it down. At once, the pillar began to rise up, with them on it. They could now see the next door, but they couldn't reach it; the pillar had been raised too high, and was blocking the path. Finding a circular path leading back down built into the wall, Link rolled down it, as Zelda simply flew down to meet him, and they both stopped as they came to several blocks of ice built into the pillar.

Walking over to one such block, Link gave it a mighty Goron-punch, knocking it clear out of the pillar, shortening it. Link did the same for the remaining ice-masses, and saw that now, from the top, they could reach a new door. Heading back up, Link and Zelda walked across the pillar's top, and went through the door, and found a staircase, which took them up to the next level, leading them to a ramp that spanned a vast gap, with a large door on the other end. Link rolled up and rolled across at top speed, soaring over the gap, landing before the door, before taking off the Goron Mask and becoming normal once more. Zelda flew across the gap, joining him, and they opened the door, heading through.

The last room was very small, and filled with ice. Link drew his Bow and fitted a Fire Arrow to it, firing at the ice, as Zelda used her fire-magic on the ice; the ice began melting rapidly...revealing a huge, four-legged mechanical monstrosity, with a mechanized bull-like body, complete with horns, and a human face. The beast let out a deafening roar, shattering the rock walls behind and ahead of it, revealing the room as some sort of circular race-track, before taking off. "Link, that's Goht, the Masked Mechanical Monster!" Navi squeaked. "He has magic-proof armor; Zelda won't be able to hurt it until that armor gets knocked off! The armor is pretty weak to physical attacks, but you can't move fast enough to catch up to it!"

"Not in _this_ form." Link said. To Zelda, he added, "Just stay here for a moment, Zel; I've got a plan."

"Okay." Zelda agreed. Turning, Link donned the Goron Mask, and began rolling after Goht, soon sprouting spikes and rolling at full speed. In seconds, he'd caught up to the mechanical beast, and began slamming into it, his spiked body shredding Goht's magic-resistant armor. Goht roared, and began running faster, but Link kept pace with him, and launched off a stone ramp, landing on Goht's back, his spikes utterly destroying Goht's armor.

By then, Link had returned to where Zelda was waiting in the nook in the wall, where the door was, removing the Goron Mask and returning to normal. "Zel, fly in the other direction and freeze the floor so he'll slip! I'll set a couple of blocks with the Cane; when he trips, I'll detonate them, to make sure he doesn't get up before we finish him!" Zelda nodded, and, once Goht had passed again, Zelda flew out and began freezing the floor, as Link took out the Cane of Sumaria, creating two _very_ large blocks at the end of the icy patch Zelda had created. As Goht ran by, he slipped on the ice, sliding right into the blocks, where Link detonated them, sending Goht sprawling. Once Goht had fully stopped, Link used his Time Magic spell of Speed-Up, moving swiftly, closing on Goht. Zelda let fly with a deadly blast of enchanted lightning, electrocuting Goht. Link took advantage of Zelda's magical assault, running up Goht's leg onto his mechanized form, leaping up and driving the Master Sword into Goht's skull. Goht roared in agony, and got up, running away, his mechanical body breaking up as he did, his gears and components flying off, explosions sparking inside his hull. Then, with one large blast, Goht was no more.

Link and Zelda walked to where Goht had fallen, Zelda returning to normal. All that remained of Goht was the mask of his face – Goht's Mask. As Link picked it up, the Mask released a tiny light – the second giant was free. Instantly, a bright light engulfed them all, carrying them away.

Link and Zelda now stood upon another stone pillar, in a sea of snowy white-blue clouds, tinged with sunset red. Through the clouds, they could see the outline of the newly-freed giant. "What..._are_ you, exactly?" Zelda asked.

The giant let out his low, mournful voice-call, and Navi translated. "'Guardians.'" she squeaked.

"Guardians?" Link repeated. To the giant, he added, "You – _all_ of you – are protective spirits?"

"But...what do you guard Hyrule _from_?" Zelda asked.

The giant said nothing, but conjured a sky-blue-and-red key and sent it to Link; the key to the second locked book. Then, the light engulfed them again.

The light deposited Link and Zelda outside the Inn at the mountain village. It was morning, on the last day before the Dragon Star hit; the blizzard was over, with patches of greenery popping up among the melting snowdrifts. As Link and Zelda looked around, the couple who ran the Inn walked out. "Oh, hello again!" the elderly lady called. "We're glad to see you're both okay! Isn't it a lovely day? Winter is finally over!"

"I bet the path to the Castle Town is clear!" her husband said. "We can head down to the Carnival, now! This thaw came just in time!"

"Yeah." Link said, and he looked to Zelda; they both knew that, as things were now, Hyrule would never see another Carnival of Time. They _had_ to fix that, for _all_ of Hyrule's sake, including their two new friends.

"I bet those poor Gorons are happy about this, too." the lady added. "Well, I suppose we'd best get ready to leave. We'll see you two at the Carnival!" Then, she and her husband headed back into the Inn.

"They're such a wonderful couple." Zelda said.

Link smiled. "Who knows? _We_ could be like them, some day."

Zelda lightly gasped. "Um...what do you mean?" she asked.

"Uh...well..." Link began, "...I wanted...to ask you..."

"Link!" Navi squeaked, darting out of Link's cap. "There's only one day left! We don't have a lot of time!"

Link cleared his thoughts; Navi was right. Saving Hyrule _had_ to come first. _Then_, once Hyrule was safe, he could propose to Zelda; he had no right to ask her to spend the rest of her life with him if that could only last three days. "You're right, Navi." he said. To Zelda, he added, "We'll talk about this, later."

"Okay." Zelda agreed.

"Now," Link continued, "I believe we should pay a visit to the Library, and learn more about the occupants of the Temples." Then, taking out his Ocarina, he played the Prelude of Light, transporting them away.

After arriving at the Temple of Time, Link and Zelda headed to the Library, and headed to the back, finding the four locked books. Zelda took the second key and unlocked its matching book, opening it and reading it. "This book tells of a time eons ago, before Hyrule even _had_ a Royal Family, _or_ a King; back when the people were tribes. It tells that a large rock from the sky threatened to fall and annihilate Hyrule. The people knew it was coming, and began to despair, but in the last hour before it fell, four giants appeared: one rising from the southern swamps, one from the frozen north mountain, one from the western seas, and one from the eastern sands. Together, these giants halted the meteor and cast it back into space, so it would never harm Hyrule again, so that every year, the people of Hyrule would rejoice in their new life; that they would celebrate a year's passing with the passing of the meteor which nearly slew them all, which now passed the world, alight with dragon's flame."

"The Dragon Star..." Link murmured. "_That's_ the meteor that nearly fell...and we need their help to stop it again."

"Wait...there's more here." Zelda observed. "It tells that, after their task, the giants sought the counsel of...the Fairy Queen, Epheremelda...my...grandmother..." her voice trailed off, then continued. "She advised them to build Temples in their realms and go to sleep. The giants returned, constructed their Temples and returned to their slumber, to wait for when they were needed again. Once the giants were asleep, Epheremelda left Hyrule...but not before leaving behind one of her powerful magical artifacts, to be used by her heir."

Link smiled. "Sounds like your grandmother left you a present."

Zelda looked stricken. "Link, I don't know..." she murmured. "I...know so little about my grandmother. What if she wanted one of _her_ daughters, my Aunts, to have it? What if she rejects me? What if...she doesn't want me as her heir..?"

Link took Zelda by the shoulders, gently holding her. "Zel, your grandmother would _love_ you." he assured her. "You're the most wonderful woman in the _world_. She'd be _thrilled_ if you were her heir."

Zelda smiled. "Thank you." she cooed. "But...we have to save Hyrule. How can we search for it at the same time?"

"I think I could manage the next Temple while you go search for your grandmother's relic." Link assured her. "This is your chance to meet your grandmother, Zel; you should take it. Just be sure to find me again before three days go by. I promise, I will _not_ go back in time without you."

Zelda smiled, happily embracing him. "I'll be sure." she promised. Link smiled, and, taking out his Ocarina, he played the Song of Time, summoning the time-warp, taking them back, and preserving the good they'd done.

Two Temples remained.


	6. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: I'm so sorry! I know it's been a while since I updated this story. I've been distracted with schoolwork and with another story; I feel horrible about it. I haven't gotten any reviews for the last chapter. Please review and tell me what you think. Sorry!_

CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS

The time-warp left them at the Deku Tree, as before. Link smiled at Zelda, as they prepared to go on their separate quests. "Remember, find me in three days, or sooner." Link reminded.

"I will, Link! I'll be okay!" Zelda giggled. "I have Tatl to help me, too." Tatl circled Zelda's head at the mention of her name. Then, Zelda changed into her Fairy-form, and, giving Link a quick-yet-loving kiss, she flew off, with Tatl following her.

Now Link was, except for Navi, on his own in his quest. Though he missed Zelda's help and company, he'd be fine. Walking out of the Kokiri Forest and into Hyrule Field, he took out his Ocarina, and played Epona's Song. A few minutes later, Epona came galloping up to him. Link mounted the fine mare, and rode to the west, towards Great Bay.

Link arrived in Great Bay's sandy shores before noon came, and his eyes spotted something, out in the water, floating helplessly. Link dismounted, and moved closer, where he saw that it was a light-blue, fish-like humanoid, with blue eyes, a back-tapered head, and fins on his forearms. He was a Zora. And he was hurt.

Link swam out to the Zora and helped him to shore, where he fell flat on his face. "Ugh..." he groaned. "Please...help..."

"Who are you?" Link asked.

"I'm Mikau, the guitarist in the Zora band, the Indigo-Go's." he replied. "We're supposed to play a gig at the Carnival in three days or so, and I came back to pick up our lyrics – the others are waiting for me at the Town – but then this masked guy blind-sides me. If the water hadn't been so murky, I might've seen him coming as I swam."

Link grimaced; Majora's evil had struck again.

"The water's getting really bad..." Mikau wheezed. "If it keeps up, other Zora will start getting _sick_. Please..._help_."

"What can I do?" Link asked.

"Great Bay Temple...it started from there..." Mikau choked out. "Legend says that the key to the Temple...is at Pinnacle Rock." He pointed to the open sea, to a pair of tall rocky spikes, jutting up from the water. He grasped Link's arm. "I'm...not going to make it...please...my girlfriend, Lulu, the vocalist in our band...if you see her...tell her I love her...and that, even if I die, I'll never be at peace...until we're...together...again..." Then, Mikau was gone.

Link knew that he couldn't save Mikau, but he _could_ ease his passing. Taking out the Ocarina of Time, he played the Song of Healing.

As the music washed over Mikau, his fading mind pictured himself with his darling Lulu, and he smiled to himself, knowing they'd be together again.

Slowly, Mikau's body faded away, leaving behind a mask of a Zora's face – the Zora Mask. As Link picked up the Mask, he heard Mikau's voice: "_I entrust my spirit to you. Please, save my home and my people!_"

Link sadly beheld the new mask; _another_ soul had fallen victim to Majora's evil. "When will it end..?" he murmured.

Suddenly, Rauru, the Sage of Light, appeared before Link. "It will end with Majora's defeat." he said. "Majora is the source of the evil lingering in this looping time-line; as long as he exists, Hyrule is tainted with his evil. Once Majora is vanquished, _all_ lives unfairly lost will be restored, including Mikau and Darmani. You carry their souls with you, now. Their strength is joined with yours in this dark hour. Good luck, Link." Then, Rauru vanished.

Link looked upon the Mask; he had to stop Majora for Mikau an Darmani's sake, too. He then put on the Zora Mask, and felt a wave of energy wash over him.

When the energy faded, Link was now a Zora. He now wore a green kilt-like garment with his boots and gauntlets, with long, green, razor-sharp fin-blades extending from his forearms. The back-tapering of his head was much longer, and now green, resembling his cap.

Navi darted out. "_Wow_, Link! You've become a Zora!" she squeaked. "As a Zora, you're agile enough to make use of martial-arts techniques, and you can launch your fins as boomerangs! You can swim a _lot_ faster, now, and you can deep-dive and walk on the ocean floor! You can also use your magic to generate a protective electric field!"

Link nodded. "We'd better get going." he said. Then, he waded out into the water, and began to swim for Pinnacle Rock, his body cutting through the water like an arrow, moving faster than ever before. In minutes, he'd reached Pinnacle Rock.

Pinnacle Rock was, in reality, a deep underwater pit with numerous caves, the two spikes only marking the Rock. Link then let himself sink; slowly, he sank down, and down, past the caves. Suddenly, he felt a presence; a small, magical presence.

There was a Stray Fairy here!

Link was amazed, both at the fact that a Stray Fairy could be here, and that he could sense it, at this distance; Stray Fairies were so tiny, hardly giving off any energy signature...

How could he have sensed it? Were his powers getting _stronger_, his mystic senses becoming more perceptive?

Soon, Link was standing at the bottom. He didn't have time to check _all_ these caves; from here, he could see the sky starting to turn dark red from sunset's last few minutes. He walked towards the nearest cave...and darted back, as a massive sea-snake snapped at him! The snake hissed, baring its fangs menacingly, and snapped at him. Link got clear of the massive serpent, then crossed his arms, and let his boomerang-fins fly, striking the snake just above its neck, stunning it. As his fins returned, Link swam to the snake, grabbed onto its head, and sent an electric surge through the snake, electrocuting it. The snake fell, dead.

As the snake fell, a small, glowing yellow seahorse peeked its head out of an adjacent cave. "Is the snake gone?" it asked. Seeing the dead snake, it darted out. "Oh, thank you!!" it squeaked. "How can I repay you?"

"I'm looking for the secret to open Great Bay Temple." Link said. "Do you know which cave it's hidden in?"

"Yes, I do! Follow me!" the seahorse said. Then, it began to swim across the sea floor, to another cave. Link followed the seahorse into the cave, all the way to the back. There, etched into the stone wall, was a set of music notes – a melody. "This song can let one go to the Great Bay Temple – the New Wave Bossa Nova." the seahorse said. "If you go through the stone arch on the far side of the beach and keep climbing up the rocks and up to the waterfall, you'll find a small stone island. Play the Bossa Nova there, and you can go to the Temple."

"Thank you." Link said, and he left the cave, and began to ascend. As he rose, he suddenly felt the same mystic presence – coming from one of the caves to his left. He swam towards the cave where he felt the strongest sensation from, and entered it. There, encased in a translucent bubble, was a light-blue-violet Stray Fairy. Carefully, Link grasped the bubble, swam out of the cave, and ascended to the surface, where the bubble popped, freeing the Stray Fairy.

"_Thank you, thank you, thank you!!_" the Stray Fairy squeaked. "_I thought I was going to die down there! Some monsters captured me, stuck me in that bubble, and left me down there! Please, help me get back to my Fountain! It's on the other side of the stone arch on the beach!_"

"Sure!" Link said, and he began to swim for shore, the Stray Fairy following him above the water's surface. By the time he reached shore, it was well into the night. Link removed the Zora Mask, returning to normal, and headed for the stone arch. As he walked through it, the Stray Fairy led him to a cave built into the rock wall. Link promptly followed the Fairy into the cave.

Inside the cave was a Fairy Fountain, like the one he'd found at Snowhead, only its pool glowed with a violet light. As the Stray Fairy flew over the pool, the glow in the pool intensified, and out rose a tall, graceful woman, her skin gleaming like amethyst, with mid-length violet hair, clad in a gleaming, purple gown, with fairy-wings extending from her back. She was a Great Fairy.

"_Hero of Time...did you rescue my Stray Fairy?" _the Great Fairy asked. She smiled. "_Thank you for your kindness. I shall now bequeath to you one of the magical tools I have kept here, for brave, selfless adventures kind enough to render aid to my kind and I._" She concentrated, and, out of thin air, a cane appeared. This cane was about the same size as the Cane of Sumaria, except it was a light blue, with thousands of tiny runic symbols carved into its crooked end, and a small, deep red gem embedded in the tip. "_This is the Cane of Byrna, crafted in the long-forgotten land of Byrna. In that kingdom, evil forces often attacked from all sides, so the sorcerers there crafted the Cane to repulse attacks from all directions. The Cane has the power to raise a powerful, evil-repelling barrier around you; this barrier is so strong, it can corrode any evil force or dark magic that touches it. The Cane can also use its barrier as a weapon; you can erect a barrier around an enemy to immobilize it, or fire the barrier as a deadly blast. The Cane of Byrna is a mighty weapon, Link. Use it wisely._"

Slowly, the Cane lowered into Link's hands. Link held it for a moment, gazing upon it, before he put it away. "I promise, I'll use it well." he said. The Great Fairy nodded, and then returned to her pool, as Link left the Fountain.

Outside, Link looked around, and found a steep incline near the shoreline, with a few small islands bridging the distance between him and the incline. There was a waterfall on one side of it, and, off in the distance, on the sea, Link thought he could see a large fish, surrounded by a swirling cloud.

Taking out his Longshot, Link fired on the palm tree on the first island, and fired; the spring-loaded chain easily latched onto the trunk of the tree, pulling him to it. Link then leaped effortlessly from one island to the next, stopping at the incline. He then began to climb up its steep, rocky surface.

By the time he reached the top, morning was fast approaching; the first day was nearly done. He saw a cave with a side-stream leading into the main flow of the waterfall, and followed the water into the cave, and found a small island. Changing back into a Zora, Link took out his Ocarina, which promptly became a fish-bone guitar. He then played the Bossa Nova, a smooth-sounding tune, like raindrops falling on an open sea, its sound made all the smoother by his guitar.

The instant he'd finished, the island changed into a large turtle! The turtle yawned. "Did I sleep long?" he thought aloud. Seeing Link, he said, "Well met, Hero of Time!"

Link paused, removing the Zora Mask. "You know of me?" he asked.

"_All_ beings of magic know of you, the one who drew the Blade of Evil's-Bane." the turtle said. "The oceans have need of your might, Link. The Great Bay Temple has been polluted with evil. Please, hop on my back, and I will take you there!" Link leapt onto the sea-turtle's back, and the turtle began to swim out of his cave, into the waterfall's main stream. "Hang on!" the turtle declared, and Link held on, as the turtle swam over the falls, splashing down on the seas, and then swimming on, towards the giant fish. As they swam, Link remembered that Zelda was still searching for the treasure of her grandmother.

He wondered how she was doing, right now.

As the morning sun rose over Hyrule, Zelda flew over Hyrule Field, followed by Tatl.

She'd been searching all day, yesterday. She'd tried Lake Hylia, Kakariko Village, then Goron City, and Death Mountain. Wherever Epheremelda had hidden her relic, she'd hidden it _well_; Zelda's ethereal sense hadn't picked up a _thing_.

But maybe that meant she wasn't _supposed_ to find it? Zelda stopped, hovering in mid-air, struggling with her insecurities. Maybe Epheremelda wanted Zelda's Aunt Clairvoya to have it; after all, _she_ was stronger than Zelda's mother and her other three sisters _combined_, and she could see the _future_...

"Princess Zelda?" Tatl asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Am I _supposed_ to find this relic, Tatl?" Zelda asked. "What if Queen Epheremelda doesn't _want_ me to find it, doesn't want me as her heir?"

"Princess Zelda, you're the nicest person I've ever met! I bet Queen Epheremelda would be _thrilled_ to have you as her heir!" Tatl exclaimed.

Zelda smiled. "Thank you, Tatl." she said. Then, sighing, she added, "But that _still_ doesn't help me find it." By then, she was flying over Hyrule Castle. Deciding to take a little rest, Zelda flew down into the Castle's Inner Courtyard. She sat down on a stone bench. She needed to think...

"Why, good morning, Princess Zelda."

Startled, Zelda jumped up, ready to take to the air...and groaned to herself as she saw Caspian – 'Lord' Caspian, she mentally corrected herself, with all possible mental sarcasm – walking up to her. "May I say that you look positively enchanting today, especially in your...pixie clothing." he said.

Zelda frowned, and turned away from him, crossing her arms. She wasn't _about_ to encourage him. She didn't like him _before_ she went to Eletale, and she _certainly_ didn't _now_; after what she'd heard about him trying to get Link discredited in the past, he'd given her _no_ reason to even _bother_ with him.

"May I sit with you?" he asked.

"You may _not_." Zelda replied. "Please leave."

Caspian sighed. "What must I do to become worth of Her Highness' affection?"

"If you desire friendship, that is _different_." Zelda said calmly; maybe she could end this little feud for Link's sake. "It will take _time_ to earn my friendship, Caspian, but you can _start_ by stopping your schemes to discredit Link and _accept_ him."

Judging by Caspian's scowl, she doubted that he would. "But if you still mean to try and get me to be your bride," she continued, "I suggest you _forget_ it!"

Caspian sighed, as if he were developing a headache. "Your Majesty, with all due respect...what do you _see_ in him? What does _he_, a wild-eyed zealot, have that a cultured gentleman like myself does not?"

"Link is brave, honest, caring, and he actually _cares_ for me." Zelda said. "_Nothing_ will change that."

Caspian smirked. "I trust you've not seen him, yet." he said.

Zelda blinked. "Yes...I have." she said, confused. "_Why_?"

Caspian froze. "Nothing...out of the ordinary?"

"No..." Zelda said. "_Why_?"

Caspian said no more on that, only saying, "Your Majesty, I humbly ask that, the next time you see..._him_, you relay this message: sooner or later, his luck will _run out_, and when it _does_..."

"That sounds like a threat." Zelda said.

"You may consider it a _promise_." Caspian replied. "Good day, Highness." Then, Caspian stormed off.

Sighing, Zelda leaned back against the bench. '_Why won't he just let us be?_' she thought. '_If Link does propose to me, and if we do wed, Caspian will never leave us alone._'

"Oh, don't be too sure of that."

Startled, Zelda looked up and saw a fairly tall, elegantly-built woman – Zelda assumed she was in her thirties – clad in a long, silver-grey robe with a hood, covering her face, leaving only her mouth and nose exposed. She had a pair of fairy-wings, but hers resembled those of a dragonfly. Zelda had seen her before, in her mother's memories of her birth-ceremony, which she'd shared with her. This was her Aunt Clairvoya, her mother's _eldest_ sister, and the strongest of her Aunts.

Clairvoya smiled her wry half-smile at Zelda. "Hello, my young niece. You've grown." she said, her tone utterly tranquil, with no hint of mood whatsoever. "Oh, and if you're hungry, you can snack on that apple."

"_What_ apple?" Zelda asked...just as an apple from the apple tree overhead dropped into her lap.

Clairvoya's smile became a full smile. "_That_ one."

Zelda put the apple aside for a moment. "So...what brings you out here, Aunt Clairvoya?"

"The same thing that brings _you_ here."

Zelda's face fell, as the young Fairy's insecurities flared up. "I should have known." she softly said. "Of course Grandmother Epheremelda would want a powerful Fairy like you as her heir. You deserve it."

"_Me_??" Clairvoya exclaimed. "Oh, _no_, child, I'm here to advise _you_. If anyone's the heir, it's _you_." She smiled. "Zelda, you are truly gifted. You have _much_ stronger powers than you know; magic that, in time, could surpass _mine_. Plus, you are gifted with a _mortal_ life. Immortality can corrupt some, and we are all glad that you aren't burdened with it. Your life-span is simply longer than a normal Hylian's – about the same as that of a certain Magi Crown Prince." Zelda slightly blushed at that, but at the same time she was glad that, in their old age, she wouldn't have to go on forever without Link.

That had been a horrible fear of hers when she'd discovered her magic.

"Even if you weren't the heir, it could never be me." Clairvoya continued. "Mother thinks I _already_ have too much power."

"Why?" Zelda asked.

Clairvoya sighed. "Shortly after I graduated from Eletale, I began to study the...darker side of magic." she admitted. "Shortly after beginning to read the dark magic spell-tomes, my power _tripled_. I may have kept reading and become a dark Fairy, had my gift of prophecy not come, and taught me a valuable lesson. You see, Zelda," she pulled back her hood, "power can come with a _price_."

Zelda gasped. Her Aunt's face was beautiful, with long silvery hair and creamy skin. It was her eyes that frightened Zelda: pure, without pupils, utterly white.

"The price for my ability to see what is yet to be...was my ability to see what is _now_." Clairvoya said.

She was _blind_.

"The price for reading those tomes was my _soul_." Clairvoya finished. "It was a price I wasn't willing to pay. I gave up dark magic, but the power I had already gained stayed with me. I _thank_ my eyes, for they remind me never to misuse it, else I may pay the price."

"I see..." Zelda said softly. "But...I'm _sure_ Grandmother would forgive you..."

Clairvoya smiled. "Perhaps." she said. "But that doesn't mean she wants me as her heir. No, little niece, I'm not here to claim the relic and become the heir. I'm here to help _you_, to tell you that sometimes what you seek is in the most obvious place."

"'The most obvious place'??" Zelda repeated. "Where is _that_?" Then, all of a sudden, her ethereal senses went off; the relic was nearby! Zelda flew off, zipping through the entire Courtyard, followed by Tatl. She passed over a fountain, and her magic-signal spiked. As she touched down in front of it, the fountain shifted back, revealing a stairwell leading downwards. Zelda walked down it, followed by Tatl.

The stairwell led Zelda and Tatl into a Fairy Fountain – the most beautiful Fountain that Zelda had ever seen; it was a pool of liquid light, surrounded by pillars of pure white stone. There was a white marble walkway leading to its center. Zelda walked onto it, into the center, and Tatl followed. There was a flash of light, and Zelda looked away.

When she looked back, Zelda froze, as did Tatl, for there, floating before them, was a fairly tall, elegantly beautiful woman, clad in a long gown seemingly made of rainbow-light. Her skin seemed to be pure crystal, her eyes glimmering jewels, her long hair a shimmering prismatic cascade of color. Growing from her back was a pair of beautiful fairy-wings, resembling those of a butterfly.

Tatl gasped as she beheld this shimmering creature. "Y-Your M-Majesty!" she stammered, respectfully dipping in altitude.

Zelda froze. "Are you..." she began, "...Queen...Epheremelda?"

The dazzling Fairy nodded. "Hello, little granddaughter. I've been expecting you." she cooed serenely. "I was starting to think you wouldn't come."

Zelda blinked. "You were expecting me?" she asked.

"Why, yes." Epheremelda said. "I left one of my treasures here for you, but then I decided to wait here with it for these past few days, to make sure I didn't miss you. It's seemed so long, what with that young Magi-Prince of yours rewinding time every three days or so; and don't be surprised, child. I know _all_ about it."

Zelda was overjoyed. "You...left this for _me_?" she exclaimed. "You want..._me_ as your heir?"

"Why, of _course_, dear!" Epheremelda exclaimed. "Whyever would you doubt it? My other daughters all have their own lives, their own destinies. I know I can trust you with this responsibility."

"I...I don't know what to say!" Zelda exclaimed. "I mean, all I wanted was to just _meet_ you! I never thought you'd want me to be your heir!" Then, she added, "But...don't go away anytime soon, okay, Grandmother? I don't want to take your place just _yet_."

Epheremelda lightly laughed. "Oh, don't worry about _that_, sweetie. I'm not planning on fading away just _yet_."

Zelda laughed with her grandmother. Then, she became curious. "But, I was wondering," the lovely young Fairy-princess asked, "what exactly did you leave here?"

"Ah. I was wondering when you'd ask that." Epheremelda said. Then, she simply gestured, and, in a flash of light, a lovely armlet appeared on Zelda's glove-clad wrist on her right hand. It was composed of intertwining bands of silver, with a circular pattern in the center of it, a bright sapphire in its very center.

"It's _lovely_." Zelda said, smiling at the gift her grandmother had given her. "But...what is it? I _know_ this isn't just an armlet."

"Very perceptive." Epheremelda said approvingly. "That, my dear, is my most powerful magical item, one I've held for much of my life, even _before_ I became Queen, until I decided to leave its power to one who could do good with it, one of my line to carry on after me: my Stardust Scepter."

"Stardust Scepter?" Zelda repeated. At once, her armlet unclasped from her wrist, and extended into a silver staff, slightly taller than Zelda was, with a star-shaped pattern at its tip, surrounded by a circle.

As Zelda held it, Epheremelda continued, "In _that_ form, the Scepter can help you focus your magic, making it more powerful, and it also has a few powers of its own, which I'll let _you_ discover."

The Scepter then shrunk down to an armlet again. Zelda studied it, and focused…

Slowly, the armlet expanded into a long, slim, thin sword, with a two-pronged hilt. Zelda smiled, and focused again. The sword changed into a fine, silvery metal bow…then a gleaming silver flail…and then an armlet again.

The Scepter had morphing abilities.

"_Splendid_, Zelda!" Epheremelda praised. "It took me _ages_ to get the hang of that ability!"

"_Wow_." Zelda murmured, gazing at her new weapon. "Thank you so _much_, Grandma!"

"Oh, don't mention it, sweetie. What kind of grandmother would I be if I didn't give my favorite granddaughter a few presents every now and then?" Epheremelda replied, smiling.

Zelda giggled. "Grandma, I'm your _only_ granddaughter."

"All the more reason for you to be my favorite!" Epheremelda laughed. "Now, go and find that young man of yours, and be sure to give that Majora a good _thrashing_!"

Zelda smiled. "I will." she promised.

Epheremelda smiled. "That Link is definitely a _keeper_, honey. Don't _ever_ let him go." she said. "I haven't sensed the kind of sheer power he's got since...since his ancestor, the Grand Magus."

Zelda's eyes widened. "You _knew_ the Grand Magus??" she exclaimed.

"Of course! I wasn't Queen, back then, but I was the heir-apparent, and at the height of my magic!" Epheremelda declared. "I was quite amazed to see this powerful stranger suddenly appear from beyond the stars...and, _my_, was he a _looker_! I even learned his name: Rendar Wingnar, the first Emperor of Aldare. Naturally, I tried to flirt with him, but he politely said that he was married." She sighed. "I'm glad that things worked out for him when he went back home, but still..." Her expression became bright again. "If Link is _anything_ like Rendar, sweetie, you are a _very_ lucky girl."

Zelda blushed at that. "I know." she whispered. Then, she thought of something. "Grandma, Aunt Clairvoya thinks that you're angry with her; please, if you are, forgive her."

Epheremelda sighed. "I promise, honey, I'll talk to her." she said. "There was one more thing I wanted to say: before he left to go home, Rendar hid a few things about this planet. Like myself, he knew that there would be one to follow after him, and he knew that his people would one day come here, so he left some things behind for his own heir. Be sure to tell Link that he may want to start searching for these things, once this crisis is over."

"I will." Zelda promised. Then, she flew up to her grandmother's level, to give her a hug. "I love you, Grandma." she said.

Epheremelda smiled, and returned the hug. "Oh, I love you, too, sweetie." she replied. "And don't _ever_ forget how special you are." Smiling, Zelda flew off, out of the Fountain, and returned to where her Aunt was.

"Aunt Clairvoya?" Zelda said. "Grandma wants to talk to you." Clairvoya looked surprised, before she flew towards Epheremelda's Fountain. Spying the apple she'd put aside, Zelda picked it up, and began to munch on it, as she flew off, followed by Tatl, to find Link.

When the turtle swam up to the Temple, Link saw that the giant fish was actually _mechanical_. The turtle swam into its mouth, coming into a docking bay of sorts, allowing Link to hop off onto the metal floor. The entire Temple was mechanized, like a factory. Looking around, Link saw that the Temple's internal machinery was working in overdrive, causing pollutants to leak out into the ocean. '_This is what's making the water murky._' Link thought.

Opening the first door, Link headed into a two-level room, with the next door on the second level, and a vast, deep pool of water on the first. Spying a switch in the pool, Link transformed with the Zora Mask, and dove in. He swam to the switch, sank to its level, grasped it, and pulled. The switch triggered a lift back at the entrance, leading to the second floor. Link swam back, and got on the lift, which took him to the second floor. He then hopped off, and entered the next room.

The next chamber was a vast whirlpool, swirled by a large metal propellor. Timing his dive just so, Link dove in and swam to the bottom, standing on the floor of the pool. Looking around, he spied a passageway, and he swam into it, through a long tunnel, and into another pool. Seeing another underwater switch, Link swam over and pushed it, triggering it. Ascending and climbing out on a pipeline, walking up onto a platform, he saw a platform across from the platform he stood on, with a door there. The platform he stood on had two doors. The gap leading to the other platform was too far to jump across. Suddenly, from a pipe below, Link saw a small jet-stream of water shoot up, triggered by the switch he'd pushed. The stream looked like it could support his weight, but it wasn't high enough to cross. Removing the Zora Mask, Link returned to normal, and entered the door to his left.

The next room was large and empty, with only a little nook...with a water-switch in it. Link walked towards it...and iron bars suddenly dropped, sealing the nook _and_ the exit, trapping him! Just then, a massive glob of green gelatinous goo dropped from the ceiling, nearly squashing Link, had he not leapt aside. Taking a closer look, Link saw a spherical, glowing green nucleus in its center. "Link, that's a Mad Jelly!" Navi squeaked. "Its jelly-body is acidic, so you can't touch it! It'll expand and cover the whole room! Only its core is vulnerable! I don't know how you can get at its core without getting burned, Link!"

Link slyly grinned, getting an idea. "I've got it covered, Navi." he said. As the Jelly began to expand, filling the chamber with corrosive goo, Link took out the Cane of Byrna, and concentrated; instantly, a light blue energy shield surrounded Link and Navi. As the goo touched the shield, it sizzled and evaporated. Link slowly walked through the Jelly, now immune to its acid-goo, until he was next to its core. He then extended the barrier around the core, and drew the Master Sword, unleashing a slashing salvo on it.

Instantly, the Jelly shrunk to its original size, drawing back. As it began to expand again, Link turned the barrier into a sphere of crackling blue-white energy, and cast it at the Jelly. The sphere bored into the Jelly's body, evaporating the acid as it went, and enveloped the core, and Link yanked it right out of the Jelly, destroying the core with a leaping slash. The rest of the Jelly began to evaporate, turning to harmless steam, as the iron bars lifted. Sheathing his weapons, Link walked over to the switch and pushed it, before he left the chamber. Outside, he saw that the stream had risen, but still not enough to cross. Link then headed into the other door, to find the last switch.

In the next room, Link saw the last switch, covered by a column of falling water, preventing any access. He needed to stop the water at its source...and he knew how. Focusing his magic, he sent a blast of frosty energy at the source of the stream, freezing it, and allowing Link to walk over and trigger the switch. Turning, Link left the room, and walked back onto the platform. Now the jet-stream was _just_ high enough to help him cross. Link leapt out into the stream, and then leapt again, landing in front of the door. Opening it, he walked through.

The last room consisted of two platforms – one in front of the door, where he was, and a larger one in the center – connected by a pipeline bridge, in a large pool of water. Link walked across the pipeline onto the other platform. Suddenly, he heard a splashing. Link darted his eyes around, looking for whatever could have made that sound. He heard it again, and whirled around...in time to dive out of the way, as an enormous fish, with jaws and teeth that could make a _piranha_ jealous, breached the water, leaping over the platform and crashing on the pipeline, breaking it, trapping Link there. As the fish circled the platform, Navi darted out of Link's cap. "Link, that's Gyorg, the Gargantuan Masked Fish!" she squeaked. "It's vulnerable to electricity! You'll have to stun it with your Zora fins before you can get close enough to use your electric field!"

As Gyorg circled, Link donned the Zora Mask, becoming a Zora. Gyorg took that moment to slam into the platform, nearly knocking Link over. Link kept his balance, and fired off his boomerang-fins, striking Gyorg, stunning it. As his fins returned, Link dove into the water, swam to Gyorg, and activated his electric field as he swam by, shocking Gyorg, before quickly turning around, and swimming low, then high, propelling himself back onto the platform before Gyorg could snap at him. Gyorg tried to breach and knock Link into the water, but Link leapt aside, firing off his fins, stunning Gyorg again, then swimming out, shocking him again, and returning to safety.

The second shock made Gyorg _very_ angry. He began swimming _very_ fast – too fast for Link to hit him with his fins – and began ramming the platform more frequently, and _harder_. If this kept up, Link would get knocked into the water for sure. Link removed the Zora Mask, returning to normal – the Mask couldn't help him, anymore. Then, Link remembered that the water was _ocean_ water, _salty_.

Salt water conducted electricity.

Focusing his power, Link unleashed a deadly blast of electrical energy into the water, which amplified its killing force, channeling it directly into Gyorg, utterly destroying him. As Gyorg perished, Link reached out with his magic, forcing the machinery of the Temple to simply _stop_. Then, he reached out to the pollution, converting the toxic chemicals to harmless, inert substances.

Link's magic attack had evaporated all the water, making it easy for him to hop down and claim the mask of Gyorg's face – Gyorg's Mask. Link was amazed by the power he'd channeled; he hadn't thought himself capable of that kind of power, of doing what he'd just done. He then remembered Rauru's words – "_You have deeper powers than you know._" – and he remembered Aldare's legend of the Empire's first Emperor, the Grand Magus, the first Master Magi, and how the potential to achieve that kind of power existed within his family.

All of that now began to make an eerie kind of sense.

Link shook off those thoughts, and he moved to take the Mask. As he took it, it released a bright light – the spirit of the third giant. Then, a bright light engulfed him.

Link was now upon a familiar stone pillar, in a sea of deep-blue clouds, with the silhouette of the third giant in the distance. "Please...we need your help." Link said. "If things stay as they are, Hyrule will never see another Carnival of Time." The giant said nothing. "_Please_, Hyrule needs you." Link pleaded. "If you do nothing, so many people will die."

The giant then spoke in its soft, rumbling voice. Navi translated: ""Help...our...friend.'" then, she added, "You want us to help your friend in the last Temple, right?"

The giant nodded.

"Then we will." Link promised. "So, please, help us."

As if in reply, the giant conjured a sea-blue key, which fell into Link's hands – the key to the third locked book in the Library. Then, the light returned, transporting Link and Navi away.

The light deposited them on the beach, with the turtle in front of them, in the waters. The sun was setting, the day not yet done. "Well done, Hero of Time." the turtle said. "Now, I must return to my slumber. Good luck in your quest." Then, the turtle swam away, out to sea.

Link looked out at the beautiful sunset. '_Zelda would love this._' he thought. He hoped she was alright, that she'd found what she was looking for...

"Link!"

Turning, and looking up, Link was pleasantly surprised to see a smiling Zelda flutter down in front of him, in her Fairy-form. "You rescued the third giant, didn't you?" she cooed. "I _knew_ you would!"

"Zelda, you're here!" Link exclaimed, joyously embracing her. "How did you fare?"

"I met my grandmother." Zelda began simply. Then, she smiled brightly, and added, "And she's just _wonderful_! I thought she'd be intimidating, but she's so _nice_! And...she's accepted me as her heir!"

"Zel, that's _wonderful_! I'm so happy for you!" Link exclaimed. "Now, didn't I _tell_ you she would?"

Zelda giggled. "I shouldn't have doubted you." she cooed. "And she gave me her Stardust Scepter! It lets me focus my magic better, making it stronger." She then changed the new armlet on her wrist into a scepter, and then changed it back.

"I'm so proud of you." Link said, sweetly kissing her ruby lips, which she happily returned.

"And _I'm_ proud of _you_." Zelda replied, giving _Link_ a kiss, which _he_ returned. Then, Zelda saw the sunrise. "Oh, Link, isn't the sunrise beautiful?" she exclaimed.

"Not _nearly_ as beautiful as _you_ are, Zelda." Link replied honestly.

Zelda smiled, sweetly blushing. "_Flatterer_." she cooed.

Then, Navi darted out of Link's cap, flying next to Tatl. "Hey, Tatl, why don't we see if there are any Fountains nearby?" she suggested.

"Huh?" Tatl asked, but then she got the hint. "_Oh! Right! _" Then, the two tiny Fairies flew off, giving Link and Zelda their privacy.

From behind a nearby boulder, Navi and Tatl hid from their respective charges, to give Link and Zelda at least a _tiny_ bit of privacy. "Those two are just _crazy_ about each other." Navi said.

Tatl nodded in agreement. "They're so in _love_!" the younger pixie squeaked. "I'm surprised Link hasn't proposed to her!"

"Actually, Tatl," Navi said, "if Majora hadn't shown up, Link was _going_ to."

Tatl visibly wilted. "I'm _sorry_." she said. "I'm sorry I helped Stal jinx Link. I didn't mean to mess it all up!"

"Relax, Tatl." Navi said. "I _know_ Link; once Majora's taken care of, he'll pick up right where he left off."

"But...he'll save Stal, too, right?" Tatl asked.

"Link will do his best." Navi answered. "And _believe_ me, kid, _that_ is pretty good."

"So...you're not...mad at me, anymore?" Tatl asked.

"No." Navi replied. "I'm not one to hold grudges. Besides, if Link trusts you enough to let you help the woman he _loves_, you're okay in _my_ books."

"Oh, _thank_ you!!" Tatl squeaked happily.

"Keep it _down_; you'll disturb them." Navi whispered. Peeking out from behind the rock, she glimpsed the young couple walking down the beach, hand-in-hand.

They deserved this moment together.

Link listened to everything Zelda had told him with deep interest. Her grandmother, the Fairy Queen, sounded like a wonderful person – _exactly_ like her granddaughter. Also, he was amazed to know that Queen Epheremelda had actually _known_ his ancestor – enough that she knew his _name_: Rendar Wingnar. He was further amazed to learn that Rendar had left things behind on this world, during his visit here. Could he have left behind relics and technology to help in the war against the Shadows? Link knew that, after this quest, he had to find those treasures of his ancestor.

But, for now, he had more important things to think of, such as Hyrule's fate...and of the gorgeous creature with him.

By the time Link and Zelda had finished their little walk, the sun had set, and the moon was high in the sky, casting silver light over the land and the sea, with Link and Zelda sitting side-by-side on the shore. Link noticed that Zelda had stayed in her Fairy-form, seeming more comfortable in it. Link was all too happy to let her stay that way; if she preferred it, he didn't mind.

Not to _mention_ how dazzlingly lovely a Fairy she was. The moonlight played over her creamy skin, making it seem to sparkle. Her ruby lips shone, as if coated with diamond dust. Her hair shimmered like gold, her silky tresses alluringly waving as the night breeze played with her hair, only adding to her beauty; it seemed that Nature itself was enamored with her, not that Link could blame it. Her wings gleamed like they were made of crystal, and her glittering outfit only served to _enhance_ her beauty.

Zelda turned to him, her eyes glittering happily, happy to be with him in this tender moment, this pause in their quest. For a moment, Link considered proposing to her then and there, but decided against it; he couldn't promise her a future with the future still in question.

Zelda smiled her radiant smile. "Link, I'm so happy that we're here." she cooed. "It's been so long since we did something like this together." Her fragile hand slowly, shyly, crept over to his, and Link gently took her hand in his, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, caressing her tiny knuckles.

"I've missed this." Link agreed. "I've missed just being able to be with you, without having to worry about the fate of Hyrule on our shoulders. You've been a _great_ help, Zel, _really_; it's just that...adventuring isn't my idea of 'quality time' with the woman I love."

Zelda giggled softly at the little joke. "I'm glad you think I'm helping." she cooed. "I was afraid that I'd mess up, that I'd be a burden to you..."

Swiftly but gently, Link took the lovely young Fairy in his arms, holding her close to him, to reassure her. "You're _never_ a burden to me, Zelda." he said. "You give me strength, you _ease_ my burdens, and you make me _happy_. You're my reason to live; I can't imagine life without you."

Zelda's breath caught in her throat at Link's words. She moved closer to him, sitting in his lap, cuddling into him. "Oh, Link..." she murmured, "I'm so _glad_ to hear that. When I'm with you, I feel _safe_, like nothing bad can hurt me when you're here. When you hold me, I feel nothing but comfort and contentment. You _always_ know how to make me feel better, how to reassure me when I'm scared or insecure about my powers." She sighed, and laid her head on his chest, her hands resting comfortably on his shoulders. "I can't love anyone but you."

No more words were needed. Slowly, Link leaned in closer to Zelda, just as she moved to meet him, their lips meeting in a lovingly passionate kiss. Their kiss grew in passion, their tongues playing their exquisite game of love and desire. Slowly, Link began to lean back, gently taking Zelda with him, until he was lying upon the sand, with Zelda on top of him, continuing their kiss. He'd let her lie atop him because, if he'd moved atop her, it would have crushed her beautiful wings against the ground, and he would _never_ hurt her.

Gently, Link broke the kiss for but a moment, to gaze upon her again. Zelda stopped, confused, but Link soothed her saying, "You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen."

Zelda smiled happily. "Really?" she asked.

"How can you _doubt_ it?" Link asked. "Zelda...I would _die_ to keep you safe."

"_No_!!!" Zelda cried, hugging him tightly. "Link, don't _say_ that!" she cried. "I...I couldn't _live_ without you! I'd...I'd just _die_ if I lost you..."

Link smiled, and gently, reassuringly squeezed her in his arms. "Then you needn't fear death for a long, _long_ time, Zelda." he promised. "I will _never_ leave you."

At that, Zelda smiled radiantly, and Link returned her smile, glad that he'd made her happy. Then, he snared her lips in another kiss...and was blown away by how passionately she reciprocated, as if she were kissing him with all the love in her pure, loving heart, and Link's desires and emotions flared to match hers.

As their kiss continued, Link's hands gently trailed down her back, slowly exploring her. Reaching the small of her back, Link gently traced small circles on her bare skin, marveling at how soft to his touch her skin was. As he did this, Zelda softly gasped, and kept kissing him. Slowly, Link's hands glided up her waist, and all he could think of was her. She was so special, so beautiful, so pure, and so loving; she was the most important person in his life, and he wanted her to know that. Her kisses were _amazing_, and he could sense her losing herself in their embrace, becoming utterly vulnerable, trusting him totally, completely willing to him. She'd enchanted him utterly, stirring his blood as no other woman _ever_ could. Softly, his hand accidentally brushed against the side of her curve...

Zelda gasped in surprise, ending the kiss, looking at him with surprised eyes…and gently smiled, closing her eyes, giving Link her permission to continue his gentle exploration. Encouraged, Link resumed his kiss, his hand gently brushing her curves, his tender, loving caresses causing Zelda to gasp softly, her back arching in bliss.

After a few more minutes, Link stopped, gazing upon his beloved Zelda, who simply smiled, and returned to her natural form, before simply relaxing into him, letting sleep claim her. Link smiled, and then held Zelda close, before joining her in slumber.

After they woke up the next morning, and Navi and Tatl had rejoined them, Link warped them all back to the Temple of Time, and then they headed to the Library. As they walked, Zelda let her thoughts drift back to the night before. Link's kiss had electrified her, and at the same time, it had made her so vulnerable; she'd have willingly given herself to him if he'd asked.

That was another reason Zelda was glad she was with Link; Link would _never_ take advantage of her. His kisses were never forceful, bringing her only bliss. Link was the only man she would _ever_ love. Still, when he'd kissed her, she'd felt her blood stirring; she'd never felt so aware of her desires...

As they neared the Library, Zelda shook her head, clearing it. '_You're being silly._' she told herself. '_Wait until Link at least proposes to you before you come up with any girlish fantasies._'

By then, they'd entered the Library, and Link had unlocked the third book. Zelda hurried over to it, and started reading. "This book tells of a friend that the four giants once had: a little imp." she said. "When the giants left for their Temples, the imp begged them to stay. When they were gone, the imp felt abandoned by them, and lashed out at the people of Hyrule, pulling countless cruel pranks on unsuspecting citizens. When the people of Hyrule sent messengers to the Temples, telling the giants of their woes, the giants returned, and ordered the imp to leave Hyrule and never return."

Tatl gasped at that. "_Stal_..." she murmured. "When Tael and I first met him, he said he'd been abandoned by his friends – his _four_ best friends – and that he'd been all alone for so _long_."

"Tatl, are you saying that _Stal_ is the imp??" Navi exclaimed. "That's _impossible_! That story happened _ages_ ago! Stal _can't_ be the imp!"

"Hold on, Navi; we first encountered Stal in the Lost Woods, near Kokiri Forest." Link said. "It's possible that the same magic of the Forest that keeps the Kokiri ever-young _may_ have done the same for Stal."

"_That_ could be it..." Navi agreed thoughtfully.

"And it explains why Stal stole Majora's Mask." Zelda added. "He was still hurting from when the giants left, and he lashed out at the Mask Salesman..."

"...and got stuck with the Mask." Tatl finished. "Aw, _Stal_..."

"We'll help him, Tatl. We promise." Link said.

Her gaze returning to the book, Zelda said, "Here's something: when the imp left, the giants told the people of Hyrule of a way to summon them swiftly, should another emergency ever arise."

"So, if we learn how the people summoned the giants," Link said, "we can bring them to Hyrule Castle's ceremonial tower when Majora tries to destroy the Castle!"

Zelda nodded. "I haven't found any references to how they did it _yet_," she said, "but I'll keep looking!"

"I'll just be outside for a minute, sweetheart. I just have to pick up something." Link said.

"Okay. I'll just keep looking." Zelda agreed.

"Good luck." Link said. Then, giving her his charming smile, he left the Library.

It had only taken Link a few minutes to make his purchase at the Marketplace. He was heading back to the Library, his bundle of cloth under his arm, when he heard a familiar voice...and darted out of sight as he recognized it.

"_Blast_ that stupid Majora! Can't he do _anything_ right?!"

Link peered around the corner of the alley he'd hidden in to see a very angry Caspian. "I bring that masked freak here to humiliate Link and drive Zelda away from him," Caspian fumed, "and then that _gutter trash_ shows up with Zelda at the Library as if _nothing's_ wrong?! Well, he'd better not screw up the plan for the Carnival. Once, the morning comes, Hyrule _and_ its Princess _will_ belong to me, and that _scum_ will be struck down."

Link was shocked. So _Caspian_ had been the one who'd brought Majora to Hyrule! He must have found Stal shortly after the imp had stolen Majora's Mask. He'd planned this all _along_!

"Why didn't Vaati just _kill_ Link when he had the chance?!" Caspian snarled. "If he had, the plan would have gone _perfectly_! My father would be on the throne, with me following him in time, and Zelda would be in my bedchamber, as my _proper_ wife, once she learns _proper_ manners."

_That_ made Link's blood _boil_ in utter rage; Caspian was talking about Zelda as if she were just some..._thing_, which he could do with as he pleased, with no consequence or thought given to what _Zelda_ wanted. _Worse_, Caspian had been part of the plan that Vaati and Lord Ruthlage, Caspian's father, had concocted. Once, Caspian had confronted Link, swearing vendetta for the death of his father; Link, in turn, had told Caspian that, if he ever found out that Caspian had played a part in the treason, he'd best _pray_ that the King caught him before _Link_ did.

'_Start praying, you tarted-up little weasel,_' Link thought angrily, '_because once this is over, you'll get yours._'

Caspian continued his monologue. "It would almost make me wish Link _was_ alive, to have him know that Zelda is _mine_, not _his_; to have him know that her place is in _my_ bed, bearing _my_ children." Then, his next words _burned_ into the air: "Zelda...you're _mine_." Then, he walked off.

Link's anger quickly gave way to fear for Zelda. He'd _heard_ the madness in Caspian's voice; his hatred and desire for vengeance had destroyed his sanity. Caspian was no longer some arrogant, self-assured aristocrat.

He was a cold-blooded _psychopath_.

Link didn't even want to _think_ about Caspian would try to do to Zelda if he ever caught her alone in that state. Would he try to..?

Link didn't want Caspian in the same castle, or even the same _country_ as Zelda. Quickly, he hurried back to the Library.

Link was _incredibly_ relieved when he saw Zelda exactly where she'd been before he'd left. As she turned to greet him, Link wrapped her in an embrace. "Oh, thank the Three you're okay, Zel." he said.

Zelda looked confused. "Um...thank you?" she said. "Link, are you okay?"

"I am now that I'm _sure_ you're okay." Link replied. "Zel, I...I saw Caspian out there, though he didn't see me." He saw her go on-guard at the mention of Caspian's name. "Zelda, he...he _planned_ this. He _brought_ Majora here." he continued. "He even had a part in _Vaati's_ plot."

"_W-What_?!" Zelda cried, shocked, even with her already-low opinion of Caspian.

"It's true, Zel." Link said. "I _heard_ him." '_And that's not all I heard._' he added mentally.

"There's _more_, isn't there?" Zelda asked.

Link had to smile at her perceptiveness. '_I can't lie to her._' he thought. "He's gone mad, Zelda." Link said. "I could _hear_ it in his voice. He...he _wants_ you, Zel; not in the same way _I_ do – as far as he's concerned, you're nothing but a...a _thing_ that he can do with as he pleases. He's a _psychopath_, Zel." He gently but firmly held her by the shoulders. "Zelda, _promise_ me you won't go anywhere near him; once Majora is gone, we'll expose him, but until then, keep away from him, or keep _me_ between you and him, because I don't want to _think_ about what he might try if he catches you alone..."

"I _won't_, Link; I promise." Zelda said. "I don't want to be anywhere _near_ him." She frowned. "I can't _believe_ it!!" she fumed. "All along, he's been sniping at you, calling _you_ and Aldare a threat to Hyrule, when _he_ conspired to destroy it!! That _jackal_!!"

Link smiled. "Well, I guess that after we stop Majora, we'll just have to give him his comeuppance." he said. "Now, let's head to that last Temple, and put Majora _and_ Caspian behind us for _good_." Zelda nodded, and laced her arm around his elbow as they walked outside. Link took out his Ocarina. "Hopefully, this is the last time we'll have to go through these three days." he said. With that, he put the Ocarina to his lips, and played the Song of Time. The time-warp once again engulfed Link, Zelda, Navi, and Tatl, taking them back, and etching the good they'd done into the time-line.

One Temple left.


	7. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Sorry about the delay! I've had a HUGE research paper I've had to work on! It's almost done, so I should have the rest of the story up fairly soon! Thanks for understanding!_

CHAPTER FIVE: ENEMIES AND FRIENDS

The time-warp deposited them before the Deku Tree, just like the last time. Link then unfolded the bundle of cloth, revealing the two cloaks he'd bought: a green one for him, and a white one for Zelda. Once they donned the cloaks, putting up their hoods, Link took out his Ocarina, and played the Requiem of Spirit, and a bright orange aura engulfed them, transporting them to the Desert Colossus.

The musical warp deposited them before the massive stone carving, overlooking the entrance to the Spirit Temple. Link and Zelda then headed east, across the shifting sands. As the day progressed, Link and Zelda crossed countless sand-dunes under the blazing sun – the cloaks were _invaluable_ in shielding them from the sun's rays. Finally, some time after noon, the pair walked onto solid ground – sandstone – before the entrance to a canyon.

Ikana Canyon.

As they walked into the canyon, Link felt Zelda move closer to him, nervous at being in the cursed kingdom of Ikana, and Link slipped a comforting hand into hers, lacing her fingers with his own, and he felt her anxiety diminish.

After a while, the canyon widened, leading them into a city of square-shaped, sandstone buildings, built right into the cliffs and walls of the canyon. It was eerily silent...and Link and Zelda then saw _why_.

The ground was _littered_ with skeletons, many clad in the armor of Ikanian soldiers, and many more were wearing simple cloth robes – ordinary citizens. Many skeletons' jaws were open, as though they were still _screaming_. They were scattered across the canyon floor, left there since the great sandstorm that had decimated Ikana.

Link felt Zelda hide her face in his shoulder, both in horror and in pity for these poor souls, her arm laced around his elbow for comfort. Link couldn't really blame her; even after all that he'd seen on his adventures...

...this was just _spooky_.

Slowly, Link and Zelda began to walk through the field of bones, careful not to step on any of the skeletons. They'd gone a few feet...when an unearthly moan cut through the air. Link and Zelda froze, Link holding Zelda close to protect her, as one of the skeletal soldiers rose up, brandishing its weapons, and lumbering towards them. Moving in front of Zelda, Link drew the Master Sword, darted forward and sliced the skeleton's spinal column, and it collapsed in a pile of bones. As Link sheathed his blade, walking back to Zelda, he saw _another_ skeleton rise up. And another. And _another_.

Before long, a whole _army_ of skeletons had surrounded them. Link knew he couldn't fight them all, not and protect Zelda at the same time – she was too scared to use her powers. Link had to admit, this _was_ frightening. Spotting an opening in the bony mob, Link took Zelda's hand, and ran for _both_ their lives, taking Zelda with him.

They ran through the canyon, outrunning the skeletal army, even as new skeletons came to life. Finally, as they ran through a large, iron gate, the skeletons stopped advancing, as if they were afraid to go any further. Looking around, Link saw that they were in the outer courtyard of an ancient castle, built into the very end of the canyon.

The Castle of Ikana.

Sensing that they were trapped by the mob, Link and Zelda knew that they had no choice. They both walked up to the main doors, entering the Castle.

Inside the Castle's Main Hall, Link and Zelda found it completely empty. Continuing forward, they came into an empty throne room. Suddenly, the door shut behind them, and iron bars blocked it off, trapping them!

Link took another look around – there were two windows, each one letting in a stream of light. Just then, drapes began to close the windows, darkening the entire chamber. Once the darkness filled the room, Link heard the sound of someone – or some_thing_ – sitting down upon the throne. As his eyes adjusted, he saw someone upon the throne, with two skeletal warriors flanking him. "It has been long since _any_ soul has entered my kingdom, let alone people from _Hyrule_." the shadow on the throne growled. "What business does the Princess of _Hyrule_ have _here_?!"

"Who are you?!" Link demanded.

The first shadow stiffened, startled by Link's reply. "I am Igos du Ikana, Ikana's _King_." he said regally. "I can tell that _you_, lad, must carry a strong light in you, to be so bold in this dark land. You...you're a _Magi_, aren't you?"

"I am Aldare's Prince." Link said, readying for battle.

"Well...that changes things." Igos said. "You may go."

Surprised, Link said, "Forgive us for disturbing you. We'll leave, now."

"I said _you_ may go." Igos said. "I have no desire to bring Aldare's wrath down on my land. But the Princess _stays_." At that, bones jutted up from the ground around Zelda, forming a cage, trapping her! "She has information we need." To Zelda, Igos roared, "_Now_, girl, tell me where your country's forces intend to attack us! I _know_ your army intends to end this war, so _tell_ me!!"

"_What_?!" Zelda cried. "The war is _over_! It's been over for twenty years, or _more_!"

"_LIES!!_" Igos roared. "TELL ME, GIRL!!"

"Let her _go_!!" Link demanded.

Turning back to Link, Igos said, "This does not concern you, _or_ Aldare. Please leave."

Drawing his Sword and Shield, Link roared, "If it concerns Zelda, it concerns _me_! Let her _go_, _now_!!!"

Link saw Igos' glowing red eyes narrow. "So be it." Igos said coldly. To his two skeletal soldiers, he added, "_Kill_ him." At that, the soldiers drew their swords and shields, and leapt to the attack.

Link rolled under the horizontal cut of the first soldier, and side-stepped to evade the following vertical slash as he came back up. Link darted behind the first soldier and sliced his spinal column, making him fall apart. As the second one came at him, he back-flipped away, and unleashed a rising vertical slash _just_ as he landed, cleaving the soldier's head from his body. As Link recovered, he saw the soldiers begin to get up, their bones re-forming. Link then saw the draped windows – he'd wondered why Igos had covered them. Acting on a hunch, Link took out two fire-based Spell-Strikers, and threw the enchanted weapons at the drapes. The weapons shattered, burning away the drapes and letting sunlight back in. He heard Igos gasp, and saw the soldiers move away from where the light beams touched the floor – he was _right_! They couldn't stand the light!

Moving into the path of one light-ray, Link used his Mirror Shield to reflect light onto the shield-arm of one soldier; the soldier screamed as the light evaporated his arm, his shield clattering uselessly to the floor. Link darted over to the soldier and unleashed a double-spin-attack, shattering the soldier's body with the first slice, and batting his skull into the light with the follow-up attack, causing the soldier's entire body to disintegrate.

As the second soldier came at him, Link sheathed his weapons, took out his Grapple-Hook-Launcher, clipped it to his arm, and fired; the Hook lanced out, catching the soldier's spine, and Link yanked him into the light, where he automatically vaporized. Putting the Launcher away and re-drawing his Sword and Shield, Link turned to Igos. "Let me try _again_." he growled. "Let. Her. Go. _Now_."

Slowly, Igos rose from his throne, and Link could see him clearly; he was a skeleton, like his soldiers, but he was a good foot taller, and stockier, with a flat, square crown upon his head, clad in a purple robe, carrying a square shield and a curve-tipped long-sword. "If you want something done right, do it _yourself_." he growled, as much to himself as to Link. Then, Igos leapt to the attack.

Link parried Igos' initial vertical strike, and blocked the follow-up back-spin slash with his Shield. Link then countered with a stab-attack, but Igos executed a low sweeping-block, pushing the Master Sword away with his blade. Link back-flipped away from Igos' leaping slash, and then rolled behind him. Link came out of the roll to Igos' side, enabling him to catch his blade against Igos' spine, and sliced it, cleaving off Igos' legs, making the rest of him now closer to Link's height. Link then blocked Igos' vertical slash, and then enveloped the blade, disarming him, and then Link knocked his shield away. With one lightning-quick horizontal strike, Link beheaded Igos, knocking his skull into the light, utterly destroying him.

The bone-cage trapping Zelda promptly vanished, and Link rushed to Zelda's side. "Zel, are you okay?"

"Yes, Link, I'm okay." Zelda replied, smiling.

Just then, the heads of the two soldiers appeared before them, engulfed in a dark violet aura – they were in their spirit-forms. "Why, you little upstart! I'll get you, yet!" the larger one roared.

"No, let _me_ get him! You'll mess it up!" the skinny one shouted.

"_Me_?! Don't talk to me that way, you incompetent _dolt_!" the first yelled. "I was called the greatest swordsman in all of Ikana!"

"The greatest swordsman in Ikana?! _You_?!" the second jeered.

"_ENOUGH!!!_"

_That_ command came from the floating head of the skeletal Igos. "Have the past twenty years of suffering taught you _nothing_?! Wasn't it petty squabbles like this that _started_ the war _and_ caused us to be in this state?!" he exclaimed, causing his soldiers to stop. "_Leave_. _Now_, both of you." he ordered. At once, the two ghost-soldiers vanished. "Please, travelers, be at ease." he said to Link and Zelda. "I am sane, now; cured of the hatred I harbored, at long last I am _sane_." To Zelda, he added, "Princess, please, forgive me, both for threatening you _and_ starting that terrible war. Only now, in _death_, do I realize my error, _and_ my failure in my rule."

"You are forgiven." Zelda said. "Whatever debt you may have owed, you have paid many times over in what you must have suffered."

"But why do you linger here?" Link asked. "Why not leave this plain and move on?"

Igos laughed. "Lad, if only we _could_." he said. "But, on that day, twenty years ago, a wandering priest cursed our land – the curse that brought the sandstorm. I'll never forget it..._or_ the mask he wore."

Link was shocked at that. "_Majora's_ Mask." he muttered. "The Mask Salesman must have gotten the Mask from the priest...Majora's been planning this for _years_."

"The source of the curse lies even further east, in Stone Tower Temple, atop the impregnable Stone Tower." Igos said. "Not even a _thousand_ of my best soldiers could even come _close_ to toppling it. Only when the accursed evil beast in the Temple is slain, and the Temple doors forever shut, will we be able to find peace."

"We'll help you, King Igos." Link said. "If we do not enter Stone Tower Temple, _all_ the land is doomed. We'll enter Stone Tower, for _all_ our sakes."

"Ikana thanks you, lad," Igos said, "but to cross the deep desert and reach Stone Tower, one must pass through the territory of the Giant Moldorm. If you are to have any hope, you must make a pact with the Moldorm."

Link smiled to himself; in his last adventure, he'd learned the Sonnet to the Shai-Hulud, the melody which could summon the mighty sand-worm. "I don't think you need to worry about that, King Igos."

"And one more thing." Igos added, and he summoned a pair of sharp hooks, each one as long as Link's arm. "You'll need these Sand-Ride Hooks to tame that mighty creature."

"Thank you, Sire." Link said, taking the Hooks.

"Now go," Igos said, "and relieve us all of our suffering." Then, he vanished, allowing Link and Zelda to leave the Castle.

As Link and Zelda left the Castle, the skeletal mob parted, and then fell apart, becoming a field of bones once more, with a clear path leading out. Link and Zelda took that path, and came back out into the open desert, putting their hoods back up. "Link," Zelda asked, "how exactly are we supposed to make a pact with a Moldorm?"

Link simply took out his Ocarina. "Just trust me, Zelda." he said. Then, he put the Ocarina to his lips, and played the Sonnet to the Shai-Hulud, a melody echoing of forgotten secrets, and of promises long honored.

A few minutes after the Sonnet's tones had ended, the very earth began to rumble, and from out of the sand, a Giant Moldorm came rising up, rearing back, towering above them. The worm was _immense_, more than 200 feet long, and _more_ than large enough to swallow Hyrule Castle _whole_, and _still_ be hungry. Its segmented skin was thicker than _armor_, and its mouth, with three-pieced mandibles, held row upon row of razor-teeth. It roared, with a call that shook the earth, as if asking why Link had summoned it.

"We need your help!" Link called. "We have to get to Stone Tower to the east! Please, help us!"

The Moldorm was silent, as if considering Link's request...and then dropped back onto the surface of the sand, the impact nearly knocking Link and Zelda off their feet, and it began to slowly circle Link and Zelda.

Navi darted out of Link's hood. "Link, the Moldorm has accepted your request! It's letting you mount it!" she squeaked. "Use your Sand-Ride Hooks to catch one of its segments!"

Link nodded, and took out the Hooks. "Zelda, hold onto me." he instructed, kneeling down. Zelda nodded, and hopped on, riding piggyback on Link. As the worm passed, Link ran at it, running alongside it, and he swung one of his Hooks, catching it on one of the Moldorm's ring segments, and gently lifted up the skin flap, exposing the segment. The Moldorm made a cry of surprise, sensing the irritation, and began to twist, to keep the exposed, sensitive segment out of the sand, lifting Link and Zelda off the ground. Once they were fully atop the Moldorm, Link planted his other Hook, still keeping the segment partially exposed, making sure the Moldorm didn't dive. He then lifted one Hook up more than the other, and the Moldorm turned to the east. The course set, Link lowered the segment-flap to its normal level. Link was exhilarated at riding the mighty creature, but he had to focus on the task at hand, and he remembered his precious passenger. He kept the worm heading east, trying to keep the voyage as smooth as possible for Zelda.

It was nighttime when they finally reached Stone Tower; the first day was nearly done. As Igos had said, it was _immense_; it was even taller than the Moldorm, a tall citadel of sandstone, with countless platforms in its hollow interior. The Tower's outer face was completely smooth; the only way to ascend was to climb up from the hollow interior...with the Temple at its top.

As they approached, Link removed and put away his Hooks, lifted Zelda into his arms, and leapt off the Moldorm's back, landing gracefully on a nearby sand-dune, as the Moldorm turned and dove beneath the sand, heading back the way it came. Link and Zelda then turned towards the Tower, and began to walk towards it...

"_Wait! Wait for me!!_"

Startled, Link and Zelda turned...and saw a small, white-gold Stray Fairy come flying up to them. "_I never got a chance to thank you!_" she squeaked. "_I was trapped in that dark old Castle, and when you defeated the King, I was able to escape! I was trying to catch up to you so I could thank you!_"

"Oh, we're sorry." Link said. "We never saw you."

"_Don't worry!_" the Stray Fairy chirped. "_My mistress' Fountain is out here, anyway! It's built into the side of Stone Tower!_" With that, she flew over to the right side of the Tower. Link and Zelda followed, and, sure enough, there was a cave there, and they followed the Stray Fairy into it.

The Fairy Fountain was like all those they'd seen before, except the pool was gleaming with white-gold light. As Link and Zelda stood at the pool's edge, the Stray Fairy flew over the pool. At once, the Great Fairy rose from the pool; this Great Fairy was like the other two, but with gleaming golden skin, long, golden hair, clad in a pure white dress. "_I have been waiting for the two of you._" she cooed serenely. "_Queen Epheremelda told me that you were coming, and she gave me something to give to you._" At that, she gestured, and a flash of light filled the room. When Link could see again, he saw a sword, the same length as the Master Sword, and looking just as sharp. It was made of a deep violet metal, with an inner core of light green metal, which was etched with black roses. Its hilt-guard was crafted like a flower opening up.

It was a work of art.

"_This is the Great Fairy Sword._" the Great Fairy said. "_It is one of the most powerful magical artifacts that we Fairies possess, next to the Queen's Stardust Scepter. It has elemental magic infused in its steel; a strike from the Sword can be as cold as glacial ice, or as hot as hell-fire. It is not as powerful as your Master Sword, but it is still quite powerful. The Queen herself has kept the Sword safe from misuse, and now we Fairies wish to entrust it to you, Hero of Time._" With that, the Sword floated over to Link.

Link took the Sword, admiring it for a few minutes, before it vanished, and then re-appeared strapped to his back, in its own sheath, next to the Master Sword's scabbard. Now, his attacks could be _twice_ as powerful, using a blade in each hand. "Thank you." Link said. "I promise that I will use the Sword in the service of good." Then, the Great Fairy returned to her pool, and Link and Zelda left the Fountain.

Coming back outside, Link and Zelda stood before the stairwell that led into the Stone Tower. They both removed and put away their cloaks, and Zelda changed into her Fairy-form. Then, they headed into the Stone Tower.

Inside the Tower, Link and Zelda came onto a stone platform over a vast, seemingly bottomless, pit, with countless like platforms above them. Slowly, Link and Zelda began to make their way up; Link used his Grapple-Hook-Launcher and his Longshot to swing from one platform to the next, and pull himself to higher platforms, while Zelda simply flew to the next platform.

By the time they reached the top, it was morning; only two days were left. They both now stood on top of the Tower, with a bridge of three floating blocks spanning a vast gap...and on the other end of that gap was a building, composed of a sandstone dome, crafted to look like a face.

Stone Tower Temple.

Turning to Zelda, Link said, "Are you ready, Zel?"

Zelda smiled, and replied, "Let's go." Link smiled back, and they headed across, into Stone Tower Temple.

The first chamber in Stone Tower Temple was a long corridor, with two rows of stone pillars, made of the same sandstone as the rest of the Temple. Walking through the corridor, they came to the next door, and opened it. The next room had a vast pit of fiery coals, just in front of them, with a Deku Flower right next to where they'd entered. Link spotted two target-switches on the walls – one bearing a Deku Scrub symbol, and one nearing a Fairy-wing symbol. Link donned the Deku Mask, and fired his Bubble-Blaster at the Deku switch, at the same time as Zelda summoned her Scepter and fired a blast of light from it. Both shots struck their targets as one, causing a switch to rise up among the coals. Link then removed the Deku Mask and replaced it with the Goron Mask, assuming Goron-form. He then rolled across the coals, stepping on the switch, and then rolling back.

The switch caused jet-streams of air to rise from the coals, creating updrafts. Link removed the Goron Mask and donned the Deku Mask once more, becoming a Scrub. He then burrowed into the Deku Flower, and popped out, hovering across the pit, using the updrafts to stay aloft, as Zelda followed his flight-path easily. They both landed on a platform on the other side of the room. Link removed the Deku Mask, returning to normal, as Zelda changed her Scepter back into an armlet. Then, they opened the next door, and walked through.

The next room contained a large pool of water, with a switch at the bottom of the pool. Link donned the Zora Mask, dove in, sank to the bottom, and pushed the switch to its active position, which caused an upstream of water to appear, leading to the next level. Link climbed out, changed back to normal, and then he and Zelda walked into the stream, and it took them to the next floor, depositing them on a platform with a door. Opening it, they entered the next chamber.

The next room was fairly large, empty...and _quiet_, which set Link on edge. He drew his weapons, looking around...and saw a flock of bats circling overhead. The bats swooped down into the center of the room, and coalesced into a single, dark, vampiric monster, shrouded in a long, black cape, carrying a huge scythe, and flanked by bats as they surrounded him. "Link, that's Gomess!" Navi squeaked. "Those bats are protecting him, but they hate bright light! You have to scare them away before you can hurt him!"

Link closed with Gomess, circling him, as Zelda took to the air, Scepter at the ready. Link ducked under one swing of Gomess' scythe, and Zelda took that opportunity to unleash an explosive blast of light with a swing of her Scepter, which connected with an impressive blast, driving the bats away. Link then closed in, putting away his Shield and drawing the Great Fairy Sword, holding a blade in each hand. He unleashed a vertical slash on Gomess, followed by a back-spin strike and a reverse horizontal slice, and he sliced the demon's torso with the Great Fairy Sword, its elemental powers causing great damage, and then he leapt back as Gomess' bats recovered. Link backed up, drew his Bow and a Light Arrow, and let it fly, driving the bats away, opening a window for Zelda to attack. Zelda focused her power in her Scepter, then gathered it in her open hand, and threw it at Gomess. The magic exploded in a deadly blast of lightning, sending Gomess reeling as his bats returned. Gomess closed on Link, whirling his scythe in a deadly spin-attack. Link waited until Gomess was about to hit him, and then let fly with a low-sweeping block, stopping the attack and pinning Gomess' scythe to the ground. Zelda then touched down, and tapped her Scepter to the ground, unleashing a geyser of light beneath Gomess, driving the bats away. Link then knocked the scythe away, unleashed a double-blade spin-strike, and then drove the Master Sword into Gomess' heart, finishing him.

"_You...wielder of the blasted light..._" Gomess gasped, "_...aim for the blood-eyes...and you'll find your perspective changed..._" Then, chuckling, Gomess faded into nothingness, and the next doorway opened. Link sheathed his weapons, and Zelda put her Scepter away, and they headed through the door.

The next room had a door blocked by iron bars, with a stone block, and an indentation for it, but the block was stuck in another indentation, impossible to move. Then, Link noticed a blood-red eye-gem above the blocked door, and her remembered Gomess' words. Drawing his Bow, he fired a Light Arrow at the eye, and he felt the door lurch...as the room began to literally turn itself upside-down! Zelda took to the air, and Link ran to the wall, moving against the turning room, leaping to the wall that became the floor, and doing so once more, and then the room stopped, completely flipped. _Now_ the block could be moved. Link pushed the block until it was directly below the second indentation, and then shot the eye again, flipping the room back, and the block fell into place, unlocking the door. Link and Zelda then simply opened the door and walked through.

The next room had a large barred door, with only one creature: a statue, floating in the air, carrying a sword and shield. It resembled the strange Armos statues, which could sometimes be pushed around without so much as making a fuss, and attack at the slightest provocation at other times.

Navi darted out of Link's cap. "Link, that's a Doom Armos." she said. "Its only weak spot is its _head_, so the only way to get rid of it...is to trick it into falling on its head."

Spying the red symbol on the Armos' chest, Link knew what to do. Taking out his Bow, he fit a Light Arrow to it, aimed at the symbol, and fired; as he'd thought, the Armos turned upside-down. Link then simply walked over to it. Angered, the Doom Armos floated over to Link, ready to smash down on him, and Link simply stepped out of the way...allowing it to smash itself to pieces. The door promptly opened, allowing Link and Zelda to go through.

The last room was a bit larger, and it had a large, circular sky-light, and a red eye-switch. Link fired a Light Arrow at the switch, and the room flipped, so that the sky-light now led _down_, to the very bottom of Stone Tower Temple. Suddenly, a powerful vortex generated from that hole, pulling them in, taking them to the Temple's deepest chamber.

Link and Zelda landed safely on a sand-dune; they were now inside an _incredibly_ vast underground desert. Suddenly, the ground began to shake...and a massive, blue-skinned Moldorm-like worm-creature, with six, vile green eyes, and razor-sharp mandibles rose up from the sand, actually flying through the air, twisting and undulating like a serpent – it was even bigger than a Giant Moldorm. Then, a _second_ worm-beast – a _red_ one – rose out of the sand to join it. Seconds later, a _third_ worm, _green_ in color, followed it.

"Link..." Navi murmured, "...those are the TrinMold, the Giant Masked Insects! If...if you hit their eyes, they'll fall, and their tail-tips will become vulnerable...but I have no idea how you can hit their eyes!"

"I can help!" Zelda exclaimed, summoning her Scepter. "I can hit their eyes, and then you can hit their tails!"

"That's a dangerous plan, Zel," Link said, sighing, "but I can't think of anything better. Let's do it." With that, Link drew his weapons, as Zelda took to the air, flying towards the face-mask of the blue TrinMold. She summoned her Scepter, changing it into a slim sword, and darted into the blue worm's face, driving the blade into its eyes, following the motion with a backspin strike, and then spinning the blade like a baton, slicing chunks out of the worm's eyes. The blue worm howled in agony, dropping like a stone. Link instantly closed on it, and unleashed a slashing salvo on its tail, utterly destroying the tail; the explosion traveled up the worm's spine, blowing it up.

Zelda was about to turn and attack the red worm…when it closed on her and unleashed a gust of sand-breath, knocking her from the sky. "_ZELDA!!_" Link cried, rushing to her side.

Thankfully, she was unhurt, as she looked at him, changing her Scepter back. "I'm okay." She assured him. "I'll be down for a few minutes, though. Sorry."

"That's okay, Zel. You did your best – I'm proud of you." Link said. Carefully, keeping out of the worms' sight, he ducked behind a rock outcrop, and let Zelda sit down to rest. As he did, he felt..._something_ stir within him, deep in his blood, long since written in his biological makeup, and only _now_ starting to become active. It was as if a seed had been in him at birth, and was only _now_ beginning to blossom. "I think I can handle them, Zelda. You just get some rest." he added. Then, he headed back out.

As Link ran towards the two remaining TrinMold, he began to concentrate, knowing now what had to be done; instantly, a faint white energy corona surrounded him, and he took to the air, flying by his own will, and flying ten _times_ faster than Zelda ever could. In seconds, he was in front of the red worm, and effortlessly fired a blast of pure force at it, knocking it from the sky. Link then flew over the fallen beast's exposed tail, Master Sword drawn. He pulled back, focusing power in the blade, and let fly a deadly, crescent-shaped energy beam, blasting the tail apart; the explosion traveled up the worm's spine, blowing the worm up.

Angered by the death of its brethren, the green TwinMold began firing sand-blasts at Link, who evaded every single shot, faster than a firefly. He then fired another magic-blast at the worm, grounding it, and then flew to its tail, and unleashed a deadly, searing beam of pure energy at it, annihilating the worm completely.

Slowly, Link touched down, his power-corona fading. He'd _never_ used magic _that_ powerful, before. It had come to him so easily, and, somehow, he knew...that he hadn't even tapped a _billionth_ of his potential, yet. Slowly, he smiled to himself...

...for he _knew_.

Then, Zelda flew over to him, landing gracefully in front of him, her hands happily lacing with his. "Link, that was _amazing_!" she beamed. "You were _fantastic_! How did you _do_ that?"

Link simply smiled; he wanted to tell her the truth, but he couldn't tell her yet, not until he was _sure_. "Ask me later." he said simply, and that seemed to satisfy her. Then, a mask resembling TrinMold's horrid face – TrinMold's Mask – appeared in Link's hands, releasing a bright light – the last giant. Then, a familiar light wave engulfed them.

They were now on a tall, stone pillar, amongst a sea of earth-brown clouds, the fourth giant standing before them. "We've rescued all of you." Link said. "Please...we need your help."

'_CALL TO US._'

The giant's booming, yet gentle mental reply echoed in their minds. "How?" Link asked, though part of him felt he already knew, but he had to be sure – he couldn't afford any mistakes.

At that, a sand-brown key appeared in Link's hands – the key to the last locked book. The giant meant for them to learn how to summon them.

"Okay." Zelda said. "When we call you, you'll stop the Dragon Star, right?"

The giant nodded, and then said one last thing.

'_PLEASE...FORGIVE OUR FRIEND._'

Link nodded in understanding. "We will." he said. Then, the light engulfed them, carrying them away.

The light deposited them in Ikana Valley, and it was sunset; it was very close to the last day. Suddenly, Link and Zelda saw, in their minds, the massive doors of Stone Tower closing tightly. Then, one-by-one, the skeletons littering the Canyon floor began to vanish, changing into gleaming spirits, and leaving the mortal plain of existence, the curse that had bound them at long last gone. The last one to leave was Igos, but before he left, he turned to them. '_Thank you._' he mentally whispered, and then he was gone.

Now only Link and Zelda were left. "Well...I guess we'd better get back to Hyrule." Zelda said.

"Yes." Link agreed. "However, since we've still got some time...let's take the _scenic_ route." With that, he began to float into the air, a gentle white glow surrounding him, as he smiled. Zelda smiled back, and her wings began to flutter, taking her into the air, as well. Then, the young couple began to fly west, towards Hyrule, at their top speeds. When Link shot into the lead easily, he slowed down, allowing Zelda to catch up, and then held her hand, as well as extending his corona around her, lending her some of his power – he had _more_ than enough – allowing her to go as fast as he could. Zelda appreciated the gesture immensely, as she moved closer to him, until their shoulders touched. Smiling, Link gave her hand a loving squeeze, as they continued on their way.

By the time they reached Hyrule, it was mid-morning on the last day; less than 24 hours were left before the Dragon Star hit, and the space-rock was already very large in the sky. Link and Zelda landed outside the Town walls, Link banishing his corona as Zelda returned to her natural form. They headed into the Castle Town and entered the Library. There, Link unlocked the last book, and let Zelda read over it. "_Aha!_" Zelda declared, after reading over the text. "It says here that, after the imp was driven away, the people of Hyrule learned a song to summon the giants, one they called...the Oath to Order."

"I thought so." Link said. "The first giant taught it to us so we'd be able to summon _all_ of them. _That's_ why Majora took the Ocarina at first; he was afraid we'd learn about the Oath to Order!"

Zelda nodded. "Now, all we have to do is play that song atop the ceremonial tower, and call the giants." Then, she looked worried. "But, Link, even though we have all the giants with us...I'm still a bit...scared."

Gently, Link took her hand. "It's okay, sweetheart; I'm a bit nervous, too."

"Really?" Zelda asked.

Link nodded. "We're about to go up against a force that could destroy _all_ of Hyrule, maybe even the _world_; it'd be insane _not_ to be nervous." he said. "But if we don't at least _try_, everyone will certainly die. Being brave isn't about not being afraid at _all_, Zel; it's about _facing_ what you're afraid of."

Zelda smiled, and she cuddled into him. "And you're _very_ brave, Link." she cooed. "I _know_ you'll defeat Majora; I just _know_ it."

Link smiled, and returned her embrace. "It really helps to know that you have faith in me Zelda." he said. Then releasing her, he added, "Now, let's go. We have a Carnival to get to." Zelda nodded, and, holding hands, they both left the Library, heading for the Castle.

It was showdown time.


	8. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX: ASCENSION

By the time they reached Hyrule Castle, it was past noon. Zelda followed Link into the throne room, where her father was looking out the window. Seeing them, he turned to greet them. "Why, hello, Zelda, Link!" he said. "It's so nice to see you! What have you been doing these past few days?"

He couldn't remember the first time she and Link had come here, in the first three days. Zelda wasn't too surprised.

At the King's statement, Link chuckled. "Sire, you wouldn't believe us even if we _told_ you." he said. "We bring grave news."

"Oh? What is it?" the King asked.

"Sire...have you noticed the Dragon Star growing closer and closer?"

"Why..._yes_. It seems _very_ close, this year." the King replied. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was going to hit us!"

"It _is_, Sire." Link said. "The Dragon Star is on a collision course with Hyrule; its path was altered by a dark being known as Majora. Before the sun rises tomorrow morning, it will impact."

Just then, Headmistress Orianis and Caspian walked in – events were happening _just_ as they were before. Zelda noted that Caspian did _not_ look happy to see Link with her, and she took some comfort in the knowledge that, once Link stopped Majora, Caspian would get his comeuppance.

"Is this true?" Delia said. "Is the Dragon Star going to hit us?"

"Not _this_ time." Link said. "We're _ready_ for Majora, now."

"_Oh, are you?_"

Zelda turned to see the apparition of Majora there, not so surprised to see him. "_Been busy, eh, boy?_" Majora hissed. "_Busy leaping through time? Oh, yes, I'm aware of what you've been doing, slaying my generals. A god **should** know._"

"You're no god." Link snapped. "You're just a worthless _mask_, Majora." Zelda knew what Link was doing; he was rattling Majora's chain, trying to make him angry.

And it was working.

"_SILENCE!!_" Majora roared. "_I was going to save this for tomorrow morning, but bringing it now works just as well._" Then, a dark light engulfed everyone in the room, carrying them away.

The light deposited them all on the Castle's ceremonial tower: a wide, flat stone surface – _exactly_ the kind of battlefield that Zelda knew Link would need to fight Majora. It was now late at night, Majora's unholy powers having warped time _ahead_. Dawn was only hours away.

It was doomsday's eve.

Majora, controlling Stal's body, floated high in the air above them, with Tael orbiting his head, as he looked up at the Dragon Star, the deadly space-rock coated in a flaming red corona as it began to re-enter the atmosphere. "_If it can be stopped...just try and stop it!!_" Majora cackled.

Tael flew forward. "_Sis_!!" he cried.

"Hang on, Tael!" Tatl cried, as she circled Zelda. "Everything will be okay!"

"Tatl, _listen_!" Tael cried. "Swamp. Mountain. Ocean. Canyon. _Hurry_! The four who are there...you've got to bring them _here_!!"

"I understand, Tael!" Tatl replied.

"_SHUT UP!!_" Majora roared, backhanding Tael. "_Don't speak out of line, you stupid pixie!!_"

"_No_!" Tatl cried. "Majora, things _aren't_ going to go the way you expect them to!"

"Stal, listen." Link said. "We've talked to your friends. Stal, they _forgive_ you; they want to be your friends, again."

At that, Stal spoke with his own voice, shaking off Majora's influence. "_Really_?" Stal asked. "I thought..." Then Majora re-asserted control. "_QUIET!!_" he roared. "**_I'm_ **_in control, not **you**! You're **mine**, puppet!!_"

Zelda knew that Link had heard what he'd needed to hear: Stal was still in there.

"You're _done_, Majora." Link said. "You say you know about us slaying your generals? Then you _must_ know about how we've met the Temple occupants – Stal's friends – and can easily summon them. That's why you stole my Ocarina, isn't it?! So we couldn't call to them! Well, Majora...it's time for an _introduction_." At that, he took out the Ocarina of Time.

"**_NOOOOO!!!_**" Majora howled. "_DON'T PLAY THAT SONG!!!_" But Link ignored him, playing the Oath to Order, loud and clear.

Seconds later, Zelda heard the calls of the four giants, answering Link's call. Then, off in the distance, she saw them rise up, and walk towards the Castle, taking huge steps. In a matter of minutes, all four giants surrounded Hyrule Castle, calm under the approaching Dragon Star. They looked to each other, nodding in mutual understanding, and then each raised their hands to the comet, sending energy beams from their hands striking the comet. The giants then began to push, using all of their might to stop the incoming space-rock. The Dragon Star's fall began to slow...and then..._stop_. Once it stopped, the giants kept their powers trained on it, ready to push it back into space, into its proper path.

When it was over, Zelda looked around; the Star was just hanging there, and Majora was floating lifelessly in the air. She walked over to Link, and they both looked to the east, and saw the beginning of a new sunrise, just starting to form. It had been a while since she'd seen one. "I've never seen anything so beautiful." she murmured.

Link smiled, and turned to her. "_I_ have." he said, looking at her. "Zel, I've...been meaning to ask you something."

Zelda felt her heart begin to flutter in her throat. "Yes, Link?" she asked, every fiber of her being trembling at what she _knew_ he would ask.

But before Link could ask, they were interrupted.

"_Sis_!!" Tael exclaimed, as he and Tatl flew happy circles around each other.

"_Tael_!!" Tatl exclaimed. "Tael, are you okay?"

"Yeah, Tatl, I'm fine!" Tael replied.

At the happy little reunion, Link and Zelda both had to smile. Tatl and Tael were back together, their little family reunited.

Suddenly, an evil chuckle filled the air...as Stal's body fell away from Majora's Mask, which more than _tripled_ in size, growing tentacles from its back. "_I've underestimated you two._" Majora hissed. "_I'll not make that mistake again._"

Zelda changed to her Fairy-form to assist Link, but before she or Link could do _anything_, Majora conjured an expanding dome of dark fire. It seemed to have no effect on Link, but it forced Zelda away, pushing her to the edge, where her father, Delia, and Caspian were. Link was trapped in a domed arena! "_Link_!!" Zelda cried, pounding her tiny fists on the dome's wall.

"Zelda!" Link exclaimed, rushing over to her, stopping at the dome wall, placing his hand on the spot on his side of the dome where _her_ hand was. "Are you okay?"

"Yes...but I can't help you; I can't break through." Zelda said. "I'm so sorry..."

"Don't worry, Zel. I'll be fine." Link said, smiling. "I've got an ace in the hole. I'll be okay, sweetheart." Then, he turned, walking towards Majora's Mask, drawing his weapons.

Zelda didn't know what he meant – could it have something to do with the immense power he'd started to show? Zelda simply smiled to herself; all she knew was that Link _would_ win.

She believed in him.

As Link circled the floating Mask, Navi darted out of his cap. "Link, the only way to hurt Majora's Mask with your Sword is to use your Shield to reflect its beam attacks back at it to knock it down. Then you can attack it!" she squeaked. Link nodded, and returned his steely gaze to his foe. Majora whirled into a dervish, and flew at Link, trying to slice him with its spikes. Link easily leapt aside, and then Majora fired a steady beam of black fire at him. Link raised his Shield, using its mirror-surface to reflect it, angling it back at Majora, knocking the evil Mask out of the air. Link put his Shield away, and drew the Great Fairy Sword with the Master Sword, and then closed on the Mask, unleashing a deadly series of lightning-fast sword-strikes on it. Majora screeched in pain and anger, floating into the air, and then whirling at Link again, but the power of Link's Triforce of Courage warned him of the attack, and told him how to counter it; just before the Mask hit him, he leapt into the air and executed a down-thrust with both blades, pinning the evil Mask.

Majora shrieked as it broke free, and it began to change. The tentacles retracted back into it, as the Mask became a torso region, sprouting spindly arms and legs. It then grew a head, consisting of only one eyeball. "What is _that_?" Link exclaimed.

"That's Majora's Incarnation, Link." Navi explained. "It moves _really_ fast, so stun it with a Light Arrow, and then attack it!"

The Incarnation began to run around the battlefield at incredible speed, and Link couldn't get a clear shot. Link ran after the Incarnation, managing to get a clear shot, and let a Light Arrow fly, knocking the creature of darkness down, where Link closed in and unleashed a slashing salvo on it. The Incarnation shrieked, and began to run around even _faster_. Link ran after it, his stamina straining, and hit it again, knocking it down, and unleashing a leap-strike.

The Incarnation screamed, and seemed to go into convulsions. Its arms and legs began to grow muscular, sprouting whip-like tentacles where its hands should have been. Its head mutated to that of a monster, with the single eye still in its forehead. "Link...that's Majora's _Wrath_." Navi murmured. "It's Majora's true form, and in it, he can channel his _full_ power. I...I really don't know how to fight him, Link! Nobody's ever really beaten him in a fight like this; all anyone could ever do was trap him in that Mask!"

"That's okay, Navi. I'll be fine." Link said. Taking aim with a Light Arrow, he let it fly, but the Wrath effortlessly evaded it, somersaulting well over Link's head. As Link turned, the Wrath unleashed his whips, smacking Link over a dozen times before Link could even _blink_. Cackling, the Wrath unleashed a blast of deadly dark fire, and Link managed to get out of the way.

Now Link was getting tired. Keeping pace with the Incarnation had been tough, and Majora _still_ wasn't done.

Gathering his remaining energy, Link held his blade at the ready, as Majora came at him. Majora lashed one of his whips at Link, but Link snagged it with his blade, and yanked Majora in close…but the Wrath had been expecting such a tactic, and kicked Link away before he could attack…and followed up with a deadly blast of dark fire; there was no way Link could avoid it…

"_LINK!!_" he heard Zelda cry out…as the wave of unholy flame washed over him…

When Link came to, he was in a vast, green field, with nothing but blue skies above his head, with not even so much as a scratch. "Ugh…" he muttered. "Navi, where are we?"

_Navi zipped out of Link's cap. "I…don't know…" she murmured. "The last thing I remember was…Majora's fire-attack coming at us…"_

_A horrible thought came over Link. "Navi…are we…dead?!"_

_"**NO.**"_

_The trinity of voices boomed from everywhere and yet from nowhere, being as deafening as a waterfall and as soothing as a trickling stream all at once. Very slowly, Link turned…_

_Floating there, above his head, were three gleaming lights: one red, one blue, and one green. Link froze…as he knew who They were._

_At once, he dropped to his knees, averting his eyes, as Navi dropped to the ground, dimming her light in respect._

_"**RISE.**"_

_Link rose at once, not daring to so much as inquire why he was here._

_"**You are curious, are you not?**"_

_It was the blue light, Nayru Goddess of Wisdom, who had spoken, Her voice cool, calm, and reflective, utterly tranquil._

_Link finally found his voice. "My Goddesses…" he stammered, "…does this mean…that I am dead?"_

_"**As we said, Link, you are not dead.**" This voice was the red light: Din, Goddess of Power, her voice proud, regal._

_"Then…what has happened, my Goddesses?" Link whispered._

_"**My sisters are worried, as usual.**" came the joyous, carefree voice of the green light: Farore, Goddess of Courage._

_"**This is no laughing matter, Farore.**" Din said sternly._

_"**Link, you are here because we are concerned.**" Nayru said gently. "**We chose you to wield the Master Sword, to defend the world against evil…but now you are on the verge of an even greater power than that of the Blade of Evil's Bane.**"_

_"What?" Link asked._

_"**Link, you are the heir of Rendar Wingnar, and you have inherited his power. All through your journeys, it has been growing, giving you new abilities when you needed them.**" Din said sternly. "**When we came for you, you were on the verge of ascending, of fully realizing that power. A few more seconds, and it could have been too late.**"_

_"I…don't understand…" Link murmured._

_"**What my sisters are trying to say is that they're worried that all that power might go to your head.**" Farore said. "**They don't want a repeat of what happened with Ganondorf when he got the Triforce of Power.**"_

_"**You are simply between moments, Link. Time has stopped in Hyrule; you are still in the middle of the battle between yourself and Majora.**" Nayru said. "**No harm has come to any of your loved ones.**"_

_Link was relieved to hear that, but the reason he was here still worried him. "My Goddesses, I would never misuse any power You bestow on me…"_

_"**Like Ganondorf?!**" Din snapped. "**HIS intentions were good at the beginning of his life, as well, Link. He wanted to serve his people, the Gerudo, and he was made their King…but he started to crave more power…and more. And MORE. It began slow, but soon, he wanted OUR power.**" Din looked at Link with a fierce stare. "**YOU, Link, are about to come the closest to our level of power in over 5000 years. You could be more destructive than ten THOUSAND Ganondorfs.**"_

_"**To ensure that you do not misuse your power, Link, we shall test you.**" Nayru said. "**If you pass, you will be returned to your battle against Majora, and you shall be allowed to ascend.**"_

_Link gulped. "And if I fail?"_

_"**We will block your power.**" Din said. "**The gathering energies within you will be dispersed.**"_

_"**And if that happens, you will lose, and all of Hyrule, and all its in habitants will die.**" Farore said._

_Link froze at that. Everyone was counting on him, now; every person in Hyrule, including Zelda, were depending on him passing this test. He took a deep breath. "I'm ready."_

_"**Are you?**" Din asked. "**This test will determine your ability to resist your inner shadow.**"_

_"My…inner shadow?" Link asked._

_"Link, your inner shadow is your dark side, the part of you that tries to make you do evil things." Navi explained._

_"**Indeed, little pixie.**" Nayru said. "**Ganondorf's shadow overtook him when he received power. We must ensure that yours does not do the same, should you receive the power of your ancestor.**"_

_"Link," Navi whimpered, "I…I think they're going to completely let your inner shadow loose on you!!"_

_"I don't understand." Link said._

_"Link, you're a good person, which means that all through your life, you haven't listened to your inner shadow." Navi said. "Link…an inner shadow **hates** being ignored!! There's no telling what it'll do!!"_

_"**It must be done.**" Din said. "**If you are truly worthy to accept your ancestor's power…your shadow, ultimately, will decide.**"_

_At that, the shadow beneath Link's feet began to coalesce, into a formless mass of darkness. In seconds, it leapt at him, engulfing him completely._

_When Link came to, he was no longer in that pristine meadow, but in the Marketplace of Hyrule Castle Town…_

_…or rather, what had once **been** Hyrule Castle Town._

_Link had once seen the Town in ruins during Ganondorf's reign. **This**, however, made those ruins seem **welcoming**._

_There was almost nothing left; every building, every house had been utterly decimated, flattened by some deadly power that nothing could withstand, the sky blackened by dark clouds. And littering the grounds were bodies: some with their flesh **burned** away, some mangled in horrific ways, and some impaled by the wreckage that littered these ruins._

_Link had thought that the most death he'd seen had been in Ikana Canyon. He'd been horribly mistaken._

_Slowly, dazedly, Link began to walk towards Hyrule Castle, wondering what could have done this. He prayed that Zelda's home had been spared…_

_…but his hopes were in vain. Hyrule Castle was even more decimated than its Town, the once ivory spires now ebony from the ash of the power that had ravaged the land. Looking around, Link was horrified to see the body of King Andreus lying there, face-down in the scorched earth. Then, a few feet away, he saw the dimming light of Navi, inches from the dulled, lifeless forms of Tatl and Tael._

_"NAVI!!" Link cried, rushing to his lifelong companion's side, gently scooping her up. "Navi, speak to me!"_

_"L-Link?!" Navi cried fearfully._

_"Navi, what happened?!" Link asked. "Who did this?!"_

_"Y-You don't remember?!" Navi whimpered._

_"Remember what?" Link asked. "Was it the Dragon Star?"_

_"N-No, Link." Navi gasped. "Majora didn't do this."_

_"Then who?" Link asked. "Please, tell me!"_

_"Link…" Navi choked out, "…it was **you**…" Then, she was gone._

_Link did not know what shook him more: the passing of his dear friend, or her dying words. Grief and horror battled in his mind…_

_…and then horror won, as he saw the one thing that he **never** wanted to see…as Zelda staggered out of the ruins, her lovely Fairy-wings tattered, her beautiful face lined with cuts, her glittering outfit dulled from ash, and darkened with blood…from the mortal wound to her side, the one that her tiny hands were trying, unsuccessfully, to cover._

_'Oh, no…' Link thought, '…oh sweet Farore, no…'_

_"Link?" Zelda whimpered, her eyes glazing with tears. "Why, Link? Why did you do this to us?"_

_Link couldn't speak._

_"Why?!" Zelda wailed. "I LOVE you!! Why did you do this to me?! To ALL of us?! WHY?!"_

_'This isn't happening…' Link thought. 'It can't be..!!'_

_"Link…" a moan came from all around him, as every corpse now crowded around him, led by the dying Zelda, "…what did you do to us…why did you do this to us…why, Link…why…"_

_"No…" Link murmured, then, he howled at the top of his lungs, "**NOOOOOOOO!!!!!**"_

_"**Did you enjoy that?**"_

_Link looked up; the hell-scene was gone, and he was engulfed by darkness…a darkness that was taking shape, coalescing into a basic form. "**Whatever you hope to do, whatever you strive to achieve, you will ultimately FAIL!**" the shadow hissed. "**Your actions draw your loved ones into your fight, doom them to suffer for your failures! You're as destructive as those you fight!**"_

_"No!!" Link countered. "I want to protect them! **That's** why I fight evil!"_

_"**Then who will protect them from YOU?!**" the shadow spat. "**You doom your precious Zelda every time you draw that Master Sword!!**"_

_"That isn't true!" Link declared. "I will never let anything harm Zelda!"_

_"**I know you better than you know YOURSELF, Link.**" the shadow hissed. "**If you receive this power, I will overcome you…and all of Hyrule will BURN.**"_

_Link had had enough. "If you know me so well," he growled, "then you know that I will fight evil until my very last breath, be it in the world around me or in the core of my very soul! You will not own me, foul apparition!" As he spoke, a brilliant white corona began to surround him, driving back the darkness, forcing the shadow to quiver. "So you just go back to whatever corner of my mind it is that you crawled out of…and NEVER BOTHER ME AGAIN!!"_

_"**Enough.**"_

_The darkness was replaced by the brilliant trio of colored lights. "**We have seen what we needed to see.**" Nayru said kindly._

_Farore giggled. "**What did I tell you?**" she chimed._

_"**We could only place the path before you, Link. Only you could choose to walk it…and you have.**" Nayru said. "**You mortals are always so delightfully unpredictable!**"_

_"**Well done.**" Din said gently. "**But your trials after this will become infinitely more difficult, Link. Your destiny is to fight evil, in all its forms. Once it learns of your power, which it will, it will seek you out like it has never before.**"_

_Link nodded in understanding; before, all the trials he had endured in the past…they had just been basic training._

_"**We could not have chosen a better Hero of Time.**" Nayru said. "**Now, go, Hero of Time; continue your destiny.**"_

Link felt the light begin to engulf him… 

…and then he was back on the ceremonial tower, receiving the full brunt of Majora's fire-blast. He smiled to himself, as the attack knocked him flat on his rear.

He'd passed the test.

Link groaned as he started to get up. "_Ow_." he muttered to himself; enlightenment really _smarted_.

Then, Link noticed that _Caspian_ was closest to where he'd landed; the arrogant noble, looking smug, looked at him through the dome. "Not so high-and-mighty _now_, are you?" he softly taunted, only loud enough for Link to hear.

Link heard Caspian's words, but his mind had turned _inward_, deep within himself, searching for the power he'd felt before, the seed of potential…which the Divine Three had blessed him to use. He found it, and felt it blossom, sending the power surging through his body, putting it _completely_ at his command, ready for use at a moment's notice. Link met Caspian's gaze, glaring at him. "Start praying, you little weasel." he growled. Then, he got up, turned, and began to walk back over to Majora.

Majora was practically _salivating_ when Link returned. Link just smiled calmly, and sheathed his weapons. "_Link_!! What are you _doing_?!!" Navi cried.

"Don't worry." Link replied. "I'm okay, Navi...which is more than Majora will be able to say." Slowly, he began to concentrate.

He'd always had an ace in the hole...and now was the time to _play_ it.

Zelda saw Link put his weapons away, and, despite her faith in him, she was _incredibly_ worried. What was he _doing_?!

"Hmpf." she heard Caspian say. "He's giving up. The peasant shows his true colors."

"How _dare_ you?! Link is out there fighting for _all_ of us!!" Zelda yelled. "He's doing _something_, but we just don't know..."

Then she felt it.

Zelda was nearly knocked off her _feet_ from the magical power surge she'd just felt. It had seemed to come...

...from _Link_.

"What..._was_ that?" she murmured. Nothing she knew of was _that_ powerful.

She turned to her Headmistress, who had clearly also felt it. "Headmistress, are you alright?" the King asked, confused.

Delia turned to Zelda. "Child, did you feel that?" she asked.

Zelda nodded, and then _another_ surge, _stronger_ this time, echoed through her. There was no mistaking it – it was coming from Link. "Headmistress, what's going on?" Zelda asked.

"I'm not sure." Delia replied. "I don't know where Link got such power...unless...unless the legends are _true_..."

"_What_? What are you babbling about, old woman?" Caspian snapped.

Ignoring Caspian, Delia continued, "Over 5000 years ago, Link's ancestor, the Grand Magus, the first Emperor of Aldare, tapped into a power that rivaled that of the _Triforce_, and he became what we now call a 'Master Magi.' There has never been another one since him, but the potential to 'ascend' has always been present in the Imperial line. This potential has never been strong enough to produce a Master Magi...until _now_."

Slowly, Zelda turned to look at Link. The power surges were coming _constantly_, now, as a white corona began to form around Link, energy crackling around him. Every time Zelda felt a surge, Link seemed to _change_, though only for a moment, his clothes flashing white, his hair going white-gold, and then he would return to normal, as if the power he controlled was building slowly.

Looking up at them, Zelda saw that the four giants now looked nervous, anxious; they _knew_ that something was happening. She'd heard the legends of Link's ancestor, of how powerful he was.

Turning back to Delia, Zelda said, "Headmistress, are you saying..?"

"I'm saying that there is no other explanation." Delia said. "After 5000 years...it's happening _again_."

"Link...is _ascending_."

"_Bah_! What a load of _rubbish_!" Caspian laughed scornfully – now Zelda was _really_ starting to get annoyed by Caspian. "You expect us to believe _that _gutter-trash is this...'super-being'?! Why, that's..."

But his voice was cut off, as an explosion of pure white light erupted in the dome from where Link was, shattering the dome, engulfing them all in pure white luminosity. Zelda heard the giants gasp in awe, saw their energy beams cease...but the Dragon Star did not fall; it was being held up by the excess power of what had just occurred. Zelda struggled to see in the explosion of white light. She thought she could see the outline of a person in the very core of the light, but she couldn't get close.

In her heart, she knew that Link was okay, but she couldn't see him...

Across the world, the power that had just awakened echoed through every living being that wielded the power of magic, and they knew that a new force for good had just risen...and it echoed through every dark-hearted being, and they knew that they had a new, deadly foe.

The power reached the shining Skycity of Aldarus, the capital of the Aldarian Empire, reaching the Imperial Family: the wise and just Emperor, Kondar Wingnar, and his lovely, loving wife of many years, Varila Wingnar, his Empress, and their youngest child, the sweet, loving Aryll Wingnar. Kondar was nearly knocked off his feet, but then he recognized the power...and smiled with pure fatherly pride. Varila's breath caught in her throat, but she smiled, leaning against her husband, her eyes shining proudly. And little Aryll just smiled knowingly, as she looked out at the horizon, at where she knew the power was, the power she'd known all along. He was a hero, and heroes _always_ won. "_Go get him, Big Brother._" she whispered softly.

The power's echo reached the Fairy Court, and the Fairy Queen Epheremelda was nearly knocked on her rear...until she recognized the power. She smiled to herself; her dear little granddaughter had made a _fine_ choice in that man.

And the power reached all the way to the heartland of the Anacreonian Empire, the Empire that had once ruled the world with unchallenged might...before Aldare had come; the Empire that was stagnating, despotic, and schemed to overcome Aldare, and retake its former glory. The power reached into the grand, gaudy Imperial Palace, looking over the golden city where the nobles lived, and the slums where the commoners dwelled, into the sleeping quarters of its Emperor, who had been slumbering with guards outside his door. The power's echo made the Emperor wake with a fright. He did not know what had woken him; all he knew was that there was a nameless threat, far away, which hadn't been there before. There was something that was threatening his rule, threatening his glorious Empire. He would have to eliminate that threat, one day. But for now, all he could do was shiver in dread.

The power's echo reached all across the world, and those who felt it had the same thought.

_This will change everything._

The light had lasted for over a minute, and Zelda's breath caught in her throat, fearful for her darling's life, but then, the light began to diminish, shrinking back, as if _commanded_. Then, Zelda could finally see Link...but now he was a very different-looking Link.

A blazing white corona surrounded him now. His tunic, cap, and gauntlets were now pure white, his hair a blazing white-gold, and his eyes were pure white, with no iris or pupil in them at all. Headmistress Delia had been _right_.

Link had ascended.

"...im..._possible_..." Caspian murmured, finishing his statement, shocked silent.

Delia looked at the new Master Magi, then back to Caspian. "You were saying, Lord Caspian?" she chuckled. Looking back to Link, she said, "I honestly don't know how powerful he is, but I _do_ know that he's even _more_ powerful than his ancestor, and..." She concentrated, and then an awed expression appeared on her face. "...he has..._perfect_ control." she murmured, as if she didn't believe her own words. "Even the Grand Magus had trouble controlling his power at first...but Link has those unfathomable energies under _complete_ control."

At that, Zelda felt a little nervous. Then, she felt a gentle voice in her mind – Link's voice. '_Don't be scared, Zel._' he whispered, using his name for her, his voice seeming to echo through Time itself.

'_Link?_' Zelda thought back.

'_I'm okay, Zelda._' Link sent to her. '_Everything will be okay._' Then, Link's mental communication ended.

Zelda smiled to herself, reassured. Seeing Caspian's scowl as he glared at Link, she suppressed a chuckle – at _last_, Caspian had been proven wrong about Link.

Turning her adoring gaze to her beloved Link, she watched him, silently cheering him on.

From the sidelines, Caspian glared at the transformed Link, wondering how in Hyrule things could have gotten so out-of-control, how the plan could have gone so _wrong_.

'_It's a **trick**._' Caspian thought. '_He's faking. It **has** to be a trick._'

Except it wasn't.

'_How could this have happened?_' he silently fumed. '_I am a Lord of Hyrule, the cherished son of Hyrule's most noble family, with the royal blood of the Emperor of the Anacreonian Empire in my veins, a line far nobler than any of this world...and here I am, reduced to some sort of...pauper's witness to this...this **aberration**, this **abomination**. He shouldn't have such power; he shouldn't even be **alive**!!_'

In that instant, Caspian's hatred of Link more than _quadrupled_.

'_Majora, you idiot, why didn't you kill him when you had the chance?!_' he mentally roared. '_Kill him NOW! Don't let that abomination live another SECOND!!!_'

Glancing at Zelda, his rage _doubled_ as he saw her gazing lovingly at Link; the lovely young Fairy princess wasn't frightened by Link at _all_.

She was looking at _Link_...when she was _supposed_ to look at _him_ that way.

'_KILL him, Majora; KILL HIM._' Caspian thought. Hatred now overwhelmed his thoughts, over-riding everything, his entire universe focusing on _one thought_.

'_LINK MUST DIE._'

It amazed Link how easily the power came to him; the power flowed into his body both from within him and from without, as though he was connected to the entire world, in harmony with every living being on the planet, filling him with inconceivable power.

It was _amazing_. He looked himself over; he'd been truly blessed with this gift, one that he would _never_ misuse.

Navi flew in circles around the now-ascended Link. "Oh...oh my _gosh_!" she squeaked. "Link, y-you're a Master Magi! That's _incredible_!!"

"_Yes._" Link agreed, and his voice seemed to take on an echoing quality in his Master Magi form. He'd _never_ felt like this before. Everything was heightened: strength, speed, stamina, agility...even his senses functioned with superhuman sharpness. His ability to use magic was now...virtually _unlimited_.

Majora was tired of waiting, and he snapped his whips, to try and strike Link; to Link, it seemed that Majora was moving in slow-motion. As the whips neared him, he simply said, "_No._"

The whips stopped in mid-air, as if frozen in time. Majora shrieked angrily, trying to free his whips, but he couldn't move them an _inch_. Link then turned to face Majora, his eyes narrowing, and then he simply arched an eyebrow.

That action – that tiny little gesture – generated enough force to send Majora flying across the battlefield, ripping out his whips, sending him crashing ingloriously to the stone floor. Snarling in fury, Majora re-formed his hands, and sent deadly bolts of dark fire at the ascended Link...who casually swatted them away, as if they were no more than annoying flies. Majora was _all_ rage, as he floated into the air, sending a killing beam of dark flame at Link...and Link was no longer there; he was behind Majora, floating in the air. As the Wrath turned to face him, Link, with apparently no effort, smashed his fist into Majora's abdomen, sending him flying away, and then he instantly zipped to intercept Majora, and slammed him with an axe-handle strike, sending him falling to the ground with enough force to _crater_ it.

Majora began to recover, and sent multiple dark fire blasts at Link...who easily evaded every single one, moving faster than a _firefly_. Link descended to the ground, and Majora came at him, with a barrage of punches; the Hero of Time moved like _lightning_, blocking every single one. Then, he connected with a punch of his own to Majora's face, and used his Time Magic ability of Hyper-Time, moving outside of Time's flow, enabling him to execute a series of attacks with literally no time in between them; to anyone else, it seemed that Link was executing one attack right after the other, with inhuman speed. The Hyper-Time attack lasted for a full minute, with Link darting around Majora, pummeling him, and then Link stopped, allowing Majora to fall.

When Majora managed to get back up, he choked out, "_What...are you?_"

"_I am the Hero of Time, and the Prince of Aldare._" Link replied. "_I am the chosen of the light, sent to defend the weak from evil...and I am the last thing you will ever see. You will **never** hurt anyone ever **again**._"

Now Majora was _angry_. "_You **FOOL!!**_" he roared, rising into the air. "_YOU **DARE** DEFY A **GOD?!!**_" Then, he unleashed a barrage of dark-fire blasts, but Link effortlessly swatted them away, and then fired a beam of off-white energy from his hand, knocking Majora out of the air. Link then drew the Master Sword and the Great Fairy Sword, charging them with his power, making them glow white-gold. As Majora fell, he re-entered Hyper-Time, unleashing a deadly series of sword-attacks, seemingly zipping toward Majora, slicing as he passed, then darting away, to come right back at him. Then, Link came out of Hyper-Time, and drove the Great Fairy Sword into Majora's black heart, before momentarily letting go and spinning for the fatal blow, regaining his grip on the Great Fairy Sword as he came around.

The last thing Majora could think was, '_This can't be...I'm a god..._' before the Master Sword sliced his head off.

As Majora's head rolled across the ground, it began to disintegrate, as did his body, as Link sheathed his blades. Only the Mask was left behind – now only an empty shell, devoid of all dark power.

Link looked to the four giants, who lightly bowed, in respect. Link returned the bow, and then gestured to the Dragon Star; the giants nodded in understanding. Then, Link aimed straight up, firing an off-white energy beam at the comet, and the giants fired their own beams; their combined effort easily pushed the Dragon Star back into its proper path, allowing it to blaze harmlessly across Hyrule's sky, marking the passing of another year. Link took a deep breath; at last, it was over.

By then, Stal had recovered, and was looking at the giants. "You guys...forgive me?" he asked them. The giants nodded. Stal lowered his head. "We...can be friends again?"

The giants simply nodded...and then, in a soft-yet-booming mental voice, said, '_WE ALWAYS WERE._' Then, singing out their song-call, the giants started to walk back to their Temples, their task done.

Stal then turned to Link. "I'm sorry I made such a mess..." he whimpered. "I didn't know what that mask was, honest I didn't!"

Link just smiled. "_Don't worry._" he said. "_All is well, now._"

Stal's face brightened. "Can...I go to the Carnival?" he asked. Link nodded. "Thanks, mister! See you there!" Stal exclaimed. Then, he hurried off.

Suddenly, the Deku Mask, the Goron Mask, and the Zora Mask floated out of Link's pocket. The Deku Mask simply vanished, but the Goron and Zora Masks became spheres of energy, and zipped away; Darmani and Mikau's lives had been returned to them.

By then, the sun was rising; it was a new day, and Hyrule was safe.

_Now_, Link could ask Zelda what he'd wanted to ask her.

Zelda saw Link turn to her, a smile on his face. Smiling, Zelda _flew_ to him, and stopped just outside his blazing corona, suddenly nervous. Link's smile put her at ease, as he held out a hand to her. "_It's still me._" he said, his voice having a mesmerizing echo-quality, his words an echo of _her_ words when he'd been a Deku Scrub.

Smiling, Zelda took Link's hand, a happy blush on her face. "I know." she cooed.

Link's smile grew, and he sent away his powers, returning to normal. "Zelda, there's been something I've wanted to ask you for a long time." he said, reaching into his pocket. "Zelda, I love you more than life itself – you're the most important person in my life. I was just wondering if...maybe...you'd want to spend the rest of your life with me."

Zelda's heart nearly leapt out of her throat at that statement, her heartbeat racing, and her breath catching, _refusing_ to obey. "Link..." she managed to murmur, "...are you asking me...what I _think_ you're asking me?" In her mind, she added, '_Oh sweet Nayru, please don't let this be a dream._'

Link then got down on one knee, taking his hand from his pocket, holding out the ring he'd kept in there: a simple crystal band with a single, rainbow-colored jewel in it. It was the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen, and the fact that it was from the man of her dreams made the moment all the sweeter.

"Zelda Aurora Hylandia, Princess of Hyrule..." Link said, "...will you marry me?"

Slowly, Zelda took the ring, looking at it. "Oh, Link..." she murmured, tears of pure, undiluted joy forming in her eyes, running down her face, "...I. can't believe it..."

"Please, Zel, don't cry." Link said softly. "I didn't mean to upset you..."

"_No_, it's not that." Zelda assured him, her happy tears slowly flowing. "Link, I _dreamed_ of this; I _dreamed_ that you would ask me to marry you. And...and now it's come _true_!"

"Well..?" Link asked, smiling. "Did you dream of how you answered?"

Giggling, Zelda nodded. "_Yes_!" she declared. "A thousand times, _yes_! I _will_ marry you!"

"You _will_?" Link asked, and Zelda nodded. A huge, goofy grin broke across Link's face, and he picked her up and whirled her around in pure, stupid joy. "You _will_!" he crowed, as he let the giggling young Fairy down, enfolding her in an embrace, their noses touching. "I _promise_, Zelda, I'll make you the happiest woman _alive_." Link promised.

"You already have." Zelda cooed. Then, Link smiled, and, slowly, he began to move closer to her. Zelda closed her eyes, in anticipation, and stood up on the tips of her toes.

Their lips met in a wonderful, passionate, loving kiss. Zelda sighed in utter contentment, happy to let Link's strong arms enfold her, keeping her safe, as his lips and tongue slowly and sweetly eroded her defenses, rendering her helpless in his arms, completely vulnerable. She wasn't worried – she trusted Link with her _life_. Then, she felt a wave of warmth wash over her, as Link's powers reactivated, turning him into a Master Magi – _her_ Master Magi, she thought to herself, giggling; he was _hers_, just as much as she was _his_ Fairy princess. Link was so warm, his embrace so inviting and comfortable...Zelda was content to just let herself get lost in their kiss.

Nothing else mattered...nothing but each other.

As Link and Zelda kissed, King Andreus simply watched his daughter and her new husband-to-be express their love for each other, smiling. So, Link had heeded his advice; it was nice to know he'd helped, if only a bit.

Then, Andreus saw his daughter's silver-blue aura interacting with Link's blazing white corona, and _then_, Zelda's magic, bolstered by her emotions and aided by Link's new powers, caused the sky above them to explode in luminous color – an aurora. There were reds, greens, yellows, and blues, oranges and violets, and tiny little flitting sprites, covering the sky over _all_ of Hyrule, making the sunrise and the Dragon Star seem plain.

Andreus turned to Delia, whose hands were clasped, her eyes shining. "_Beautiful_...oh, King Andreus, they're _perfect_." she murmured. "They're a lovely couple." Andreus smiled; Delia was such a romantic.

Sighing, Andreus turned, bracing himself for Caspian's reaction, expecting something like a scowl, or an arrogant remark...but was surprised by the look of pure _hate_ on the young Lord's face. "Caspian..?" Andreus began.

Caspian kept his hateful glare at Link...and drew his rapier. "TAKE YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF HER!!!" he roared, and he ran at Link, weapon ready.

'_Maybe Majora wasn't the only evil in Hyrule..._' Andreus thought.

"TAKE YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF HER!!!"

Link sensed Caspian's attack before the insane noble had even moved. Swiftly moving in front of Zelda, the young Master Magi simply raised his hand, his fist clenched with his middle and pointer fingers extended, and charged power into them. By then, Caspian was in striking distance of Link, and swung his rapier in a wild, untrained attack. Link simply moved his hand to intercept it, the blade clanging harmlessly against his charged fingers. Caspian tried again and again to strike Link, but Link blocked every single attack with ease. Finally, when Caspian tired, Link simply knocked the blade out of the corrupt Lord's hand with one swift chop, releasing the charge in his fingers as the blade clattered harmlessly to the ground. But Caspian would not yield; his insanity prevented him from realizing that it was pointless to attack Link. He tried to charge at Link, to choke him, but Link simply gestured, sending Caspian flying back, to land ingloriously on his rear end. "_Your actions betray you._" Link said coolly, and he then turned to Zelda, making sure she was okay.

"DON'T _TOUCH_ HER, YOU FILTHY _ABOMINATION_!! YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN BE _ALIVE_!!!" Caspian screamed. "ZELDA IS _MINE_!!!"

Link's eyes narrowed, and then Zelda moved out from behind him. "Caspian, I will _never_ love you." she declared. "_Link_ is the man that I love, and you can _never_ change that. You're just going to have to live with the fact that I don't love you."

"You _will_." Caspian growled, madness and lust burning in his eyes. "I'll _make_ you love me..."

"_Caspian!!_ That's _enough_!!!" the King roared. "You _dare_ speak to my daughter – Hyrule's _Princess_ – in that manner?! Pit off your attack this _instant_!!"

"You can't be serious!" Caspian screamed. "You can't let that..._creature_ wed the Princess! He'll destroy us _all_!!"

"_Like you and Majora tried to?_" Link asked.

The King went pale. "_What?!_" he gasped.

Link continued. "_You brought Majora here. I heard it all, Caspian. Furthermore, you had a hand in your father's plan. You've been guilty from the beginning, rebelling against the King._"

"He's no King of _mine_!!" Caspian roared. He pointed an accusing finger at Link. "_You_ dishonored my family by killing my father, and then _he_ covers it up! I owe _no_ allegiance to that old _fossil_!!"

The King spoke calmly, keeping his fury under control: "Caspian, you are dismissed..." At that, Caspian looked smug, confident that he would not be punished...

...until the King finished his statement: "...from this _country_."

Caspian whirled around, as if he'd been struck. "_What_?!" he cried.

"You, like your father, are guilty of _treason_, by your own admission. Your father's death was kept secret to save your House from shame; it is the reason you were allowed to take his place, the reason your family is still part of the Royal Court." He sighed. "And you threw it all away, for _madness_."

"_No_..." Caspian murmured, "...you _can't_..."

By then, two guards had arrived. "Caspian de Llednares, son of Ruthlage de Llednares," the King said, "you are hereby stripped of your title, your rank, your social stature, and your privileges as a member of the Court – you shall never refer to yourself as a gentleman again – and you are hereby banished from Hyrule. You are never to set foot in Hyrule again, under penalty of _death_." To the guards he added, "Get this traitor out of my _sight_."

Before the guards seized him, Caspian looked at Link once more, and Link saw the pure, undiluted _hate_ in Caspian's eyes. "_You_..." he snarled, pointing at Link, "..._you_ do not know what you have _done_!!!" Then, as the soldiers led him away, he screamed out, "But you _WILL_!!!" Then, the guards led him away, taking Caspian out of their lives.

Hopefully _forever_.

Once Caspian was gone, Zelda leaned into Link, letting him comfort her. "Oh, I'm so glad he's gone, Link." she murmured. "But...what do you think he meant, in the end?"

Link then sent his powers away. "I don't know, Zelda, but I _do_ know this much: I won't let him hurt you, Zel. _Ever_." He smiled as he saw her happy blush...and remembered one last thing. "Now, as I recall..." he gently took the engagement ring from her and placed it on her finger, "...that goes _there_." Zelda smiled happily at that, and cuddled into his embrace.

Then, the King walked over to the young couple, smiling. "I'm very happy for the both of you." he said. "Now, I believe we all have a Carnival to attend...and a future wedding to plan."

"Perhaps we can help with the latter."

Turning, Link was surprised to see his parents, Kondar and Varila Wingnar, standing there! Kondar was a tall, stately man, in his mid-forties, his face resembling Link's, with short, dark-blond hair, cobalt-blue eyes, a small moustache and a small goatee beard, clad in black pants, a black sweater with a quartz-purple overcoat over it, with a simple gold head-ring, and black gauntlets and boots. Varila was a bit shorter than Link, elegantly built, with long, ebony hair and emerald eyes, clad in a long, quartz-purple gown, a silver tiara around her head.

Kondar smiled warmly, putting everyone at ease. "We came as fast as we could, Link," he said, "and just in time, too! We just overheard the wonderful news!"

"I don't believe it! My son is getting _married_!" Varila exclaimed. "This is _wonderful_!"

"We also sensed your power, son; even _now_, it amazes me." Kondar added. "To think: _my_ son has ascended to the level of power foretold of our ancestor, the Grand Magus..." he smiled proudly, "...it boggles the mind."

"_I_ knew it all along!" came a small voice, and Link smiled as the tiny form of 6-year-old Aryll Wingnar darted out from behind Kondar, and hugged Link's leg. Link's baby sister was a tiny little thing, delicately built, with sapphire-blue eyes, and golden-blond hair tied in two pigtails, clad in a simple blue child's dress, with flowers embroidered in it. "I _knew_ it, Big Brother!" Aryll squealed. "I _knew_ you'd find the Grand Magus' power! It's 'cause you're a hero, and heroes _always_ win!"

Link smiled at his baby sister. "I'm glad you have faith in me, too, Aryll."

Then Aryll looked up at him, her eyes blinking. "Big Brother...are you and Princess Zelda _really_ gonna get married?" she asked.

Link looked at Zelda, smiling so much he felt as if his face would crack, and Zelda was sweetly blushing. "Yes, Aryll." he answered.

Squealing with joy, Aryll hugged Zelda's legs. "That means you're gonna be my Big _Sister_!" she exclaimed.

Zelda smiled, and she knelt down to Aryll. "I hope that's okay with you, sweetie." she said. Aryll promptly hugged Zelda, and Zelda smiled, returning the hug of her little sister-to-be.

Kondar smiled at the sweet scene, and then turned to his son. "I believe that you will be a true force for good in this world, son." he said, and Link smiled at that, glad that his father held such confidence in him. Kondar then turned to the King. "I hope you don't mind, King Andreus, but my wife and I had planned to move Aldarus to float over Hyrule – we'd hoped to spend more time with our son...and perhaps we can get to know our future daughter-in-law." Zelda softly blushed at that.

"Not at _all_, Emperor Kondar." the King replied. "Hyrule would be _happy_ to have a neighbor overhead. Besides, with our children to wed soon, we should discuss the strengthening of our alliance."

"Indeed." Kondar agreed. "We all have much to discuss." Then, Link, Zelda, Aryll, the King, and Link's parents all headed to head back into Hyrule Castle, as a new day began.


	9. Epilogue

EPILOGUE: A NEW DAY

It was morning on the edges of Hyrule's borders, as Caspian, on horseback, finally crossed the borders, escorted by several of Hyrule's Knights, sent to make sure he left. "And don't come back!!" the lead Knight shouted. Scowling, Caspian rode off.

He'd been riding a few minutes when he saw a large shape, up in the sky, far away in the distance, up in the clouds, heading toward Hyrule. He snarled in disgust as he recognized it. It was Aldarus, the capital 'Sky-city' of the Aldarian Empire. So, Link's parents had decided to visit their unnatural son, and had brought their city with them.

Everything about Aldare sickened him; its unnatural way of life, where the people had a say in the rule of the country; its use of magic and science; its technology...the Empire was an _abomination_.

Just like its Prince.

The Empire was a blight against his family honor. Caspian was of royal blood; he was the grand-nephew of the Emperor of the Anacreonian Empire. Anacreon had long since wanted to annex Hyrule, and it had even less love of Aldare than _he_ did. Before Aldare had arrived, Anacreon had been the unquestioned dominant power in the world, with the strongest sea-fleet ever constructed. But then, 5000 years ago, something changed; there were things seen in the sky. At first, Anacreon was indifferent to these 'cities' in the clouds; what did it matter if people lived in the sky? Anacreon dominated the earth. If those people wanted the clouds, they could have them.

But then the cloud-people began to come to the earth, building colonies in territory that Anacreon had coveted. They were also building outposts and bases on the water, and even in the far north, where no wooden ship could go. Their colonies were shining cities, with no apparent nobility or peasantry.

Their technology was enabling them to do what Anacreon, the rightful ruler of the world, could not. And that had been an insult to the honor of the Royal House.

When the cloud-people began to settle in an area that Anacreon had needed for national defense, the Emperor sent the mighty fleet to drive these sky-born usurpers out, to show them why Anacreon was the dominant power of the world.

It had been a disaster.

The fleet had fired on the colony with their cannons...but the cannonballs had no effect; they simply bounced off an invisible wall around the colony.

And then the Aldarian warships came.

Anacreon had been outmatched; these warships were huge, gleaming colossi, invulnerable to cannon-fire, and with weapons that no man of Anacreon had ever _conceived_ before.

Anacreon's fleet was nearly wiped out. Less than a half-dozen ships returned to the capital.

When the word of Anacreon's devastating and humiliating defeat got out, every single country that Anacreon had annexed rebelled against their rightful lords, leaving only a handful of island around Anacreon itself under the Empire's control.

And so matters had remained for the last five millennia. Aldare prospered, with colonies around the world, while Anacreon remained beaten, stagnant, static. Aldare had occasionally attempted to open trade relations with the islands around the Empire, but the Emperor had rightfully refused; Aldare's efforts were a continued insult to the greatness of Anacreon. It was the great hope of the Royal House to one day strike back against Aldare, and reclaim the Empire's former glory.

And that day would come soon, if Caspian had anything to say about it.

He would travel to Anacreon, and send for his forces in Hyrule, those soldiers still loyal to his family. He would rejoin his kin in the Empire, and plot Aldare's downfall. And he would _personally_ bring down that accursed nation, as well as its freakish Prince...and claim Zelda, and Hyrule, as his own.

'_Enjoy these happy moments, Link._' Caspian thought. Then, he spoke his next thoughts aloud.

"For they will be your _last_."

The morning sun was strong in the sky over Hyrule Castle, as Link sat in the Castle infirmary, his weapons set aside, and his cap, tunic, and white undershirt removed, as Zelda, still in her Fairy-form, tended to him.

He'd nearly collapsed on his way down from the ceremonial tower; the exertion of his Master Magi powers, combined with the beating he'd taken from Majora _before_ he'd used them had taken its toll.

Link was sitting upright on a medical cot, with Zelda sitting at his side, her hands in his, as she poured her healing magic into him. "Zel, that's enough." Link said gently. "You're going to tire yourself out; really, I'm fine."

"Link, you nearly fell right off the stairs on our way down; you are _not_ fine!" Zelda sweetly admonished. "Now, you just sit there and let me help you."

Link smiled, and nodded. "Okay, Zelda; I guess you're right."

"Of course I am!" Zelda teased, smiling. "I'm your future wife; I'm _always_ right!"

Link arched an eyebrow. "Doesn't that rule only start _after_ we get married?"

Zelda put her hands on her hips. "Link," she said, her tone flirtatious, "are you going to start disagreeing with me _now_?"

Link laughed. "Okay, okay!" he relented. "I don't wanna argue with such a lovely lady…_especially_ when she's agreed to put up with me for the rest of our lives."

Zelda nodded, smiling. "And you'd be hard-pressed to find another woman who _would_, given all the hare-brained stunts you're so fond of pulling!" she teased.

"Hey, _when_ have they not worked?" Link laughed, causing Zelda to giggle. Then, his tone turned serious. "Zel, in the few moments when Majora hit me with that fire-blast…I saw something…I'm not exactly sure what it was, but…I think I saw…the _Three_."

Zelda's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you _sure_?"

Link nodded. "They were worried about my powers, so they tested me. I passed their test, but…" he looked at Zelda, his eyes haunted, "…I saw Hyrule, Zel, but it was a Hyrule that…_I_ had destroyed; my powers had driven me off the deep-end. I had destroyed the Town; I had killed everyone; I had…" his voice became a whisper, "…I had hurt you."

Slowly, Zelda sat in his lap, lovingly straddling him, her lovely sapphire gaze meeting his. "And now you're afraid of yourself." she said. "Link…I'm not afraid of you." At that, Link looked at her, confused. Zelda smiled. "I'm not afraid because I _know_ you; I know that, whatever shadows there are within you…the light within you, the goodness in your soul…is _ten times stronger_."

Link smiled. "I guess that whole 'being right' rule _does_ start working, now." he said. "I have to be the luckiest guy in Hyrule, to have such a wise, beautiful woman in my life."

Zelda nodded. "But only the _first_ tidbit of wisdom is free, Link." she teased.

Link smiled slyly. "Well, I _always_ pay my debts." he said, as he lovingly embraced Zelda, holding her close, before kissing her, savoring Zelda's light squeak of surprise, which turned into a low, contented sigh.

After a few minutes of kissing, Link released Zelda from the kiss. "Well?" he asked, smiling. "Are we even?"

Zelda smiled radiantly. "Not _quite_." She whispered, as her eyes closed, in blissful anticipation, as she leaned closer to him. Link was only too happy to indulge his bride-to-be, as his arms wove around her waist, pulling her close…

"Prince Link?"

Link paused, as he and Zelda recomposed themselves as a Castle steward walked into the infirmary. "The King and the Emperor wanted to talk to you for a few moments, whenever you were ready." he said.

"Ah. Yes. Thank you." Link said, as the steward left.

Zelda sighed. "Now that the moment is _completely_ ruined…"

Link chuckled, before lightly kissing her. "We'll have a _lifetime_ of moments, Zel; don't worry." he said. Quickly, he re-donned his cap, shirt, tunic, and weapons. "Now, I'd better go see what our parents want."

Zelda nodded, returning to her natural form and outfit. "I'll just go speak with your mother in the Courtyard." she said. Link nodded, and they both headed out of the infirmary.

Link found his father and King Andreus in the King's study. "Ah, Link, there you are!" the King said. "The Emperor and I were discussing the installation of additional defenses to the future Shadow invasion."

Kondar nodded. "With your permission, King Andreus," he said, "we would like to install several Ion-Cannon Turrets around Hyrule. When the Shadows come, some small fighter-craft may slip by; the Cannons would be programmed to automatically shoot down any such craft, as well as being programmed for long-range fire, to assist the Fleet in battle above the planet."

"Of course." the King agreed.

Kondar nodded, and then turned to Link. "So, Son, where did you and Zelda want to get married?"

Link smiled. "We haven't discussed that, yet." he replied. "With Majora gone and Caspian banished, I hope that whenever we do decide to get married, it'll be peaceful."

The King looked troubled. "I hope you're right, Link." he said. "But there was another reason why I allowed Caspian to remain as long as I did. You see, Caspian is a relative of the Emperor of Anacreon."

"Anacreon?" Link repeated, confused.

"The Anacreonian Empire was the dominant world power before Aldare came to this planet, Son." Kondar said. "Their interests were so different from ours, we initially had no contact with them; we were looking for colonies for research purposes, and for space for our people, while they conquered land for wealth and power."

"Eventually, we established a research outpost in an area that Anacreon was interested in; they had wanted to build a base for some petty war they had started." Kondar continued. "Apparently, their Emperor took our settling there as a personal insult, and attacked it." He lightly chuckled. "Their bark was _much, much_ worse than their bite. They had only powder-based cannons; they couldn't even _scratch_ the outpost's shields. A few Paladin-Class Heavy Cruisers took out most of the ships that were harassing our colony; we only planned to disable the ships, but their vessels were so flimsy, even the lightest fire was devastating. Fortunately, we managed to destroy the bulk of their fleet without causing any serious loss of life. After that, much of Anacreon's empire rose in revolt...and they _never_ forgave us for it."

"Anacreon is very close to Hyrule, Link; only Aldare's Atlantis Base lies between Anacreon and Hyrule." the King added. "Even though Anacreon has lost its former might, it is still _much_ stronger than Hyrule. I was initially concerned that punishing Caspian without proof would incite a response from Anacreon, and since we were allied with Aldare, that would only give Anacreon further reason to attack. I'm surprised Anacreon hasn't sent word for us to cease our dealings with Aldare."

Kondar nodded. "Anacreon has been notorious for pressuring our allies to break off relations with us." he said. "If Anacreon tries anything, Hyrule will have our support."

Link nodded. "I see." he said. "But it seems a bit silly; Anacreon is upset about something that happened 5000 years ago. It's _stupid_ to hold a grudge that long!"

Kondar nodded in complete agreement. "You're absolutely right, Son." he agreed. "But the Anacreonian mind-set is very rigid; Anacreon is very old-fashioned, from a philosophical standpoint. They've been trying to develop some new technologies, but their society is stagnant; their people are divided terribly. The disparity in wealth is great; the nobles there have everything, and the common citizens have next to nothing. The Anacreonian Empire is one of the most despotic regimes I've seen, Son. It's next to impossible to get those kind of people to see reason." Then, his expression lightened. "But that's enough talk of such serious matters. Why don't you go see your future bride, and talk of happier things?" Smiling in agreement, Link bade farewell to his Father, and to the King, his future father-in-law, and went to see Zelda.

Link found Zelda outside, in the Inner Courtyard, with his Mother and Aryll; he smiled as he saw that Aryll had asked Zelda to braid her hair, and Zelda had gladly agreed, and had woven Aryll's hair into a braided ponytail, with a smiling Varila watching them.

When Zelda finished her braiding, she smiled, and said, "All done, sweetie. What do you think?"

Aryll hopped off Zelda's lap, and looked at herself in the little pool of water...and squealed in joy. "Oh, _thank_ you, Big Sister!" she exclaimed, giving Zelda a hug, before darting over to her mother. "Mommy, look how pretty Big Sister made my hair!"

Varila smiled. "Oh, it looks _lovely_, honey!" she said. Then, noticing Link, she added, "I think we should go for a few minutes; Link and Zelda have grown-up stuff to talk about."

"Okay!" Aryll chirped, and she followed Varila out of the Courtyard, giving Link and Zelda their privacy.

Zelda smiled at Link. "I always wanted a little sister." she said.

Link smiled back. "Well, Aryll just _adores_ you."

Zelda's smile grew. "She's just the sweetest little thing, isn't she?" she said. "I'm...so glad that your family accepts me, Link."

"Zelda, how could they _not_ accept you?" Link exclaimed. "My family just _loves_ you! And all of Aldare will be _thrilled_ to know that you'll be their future Empress!"

Zelda's smile grew. "I just...can't believe this is happening, Link. I feel like I'm _dreaming_!"

Slowly, Link sat down with Zelda at the edge of the fountain, where she was sitting. "I feel that way, too." he said. "But this is _real_, Zelda. We're going to spend the rest of our lives together." Smiling, he added, "Now, sweetheart, tell me all of your dreams, everything you hoped your wedding would be; I promise, I'll make every single one of them come true."

Blushing lightly, Zelda said, "Well...I always wanted to be a spring bride, to be wed in the season of new life, since I'd be starting a new life with the man I loved. Also, I've wanted my wedding to be on the day of the Carnival of Time, so that the Goddesses would bless our union, with all my friends and loved ones there." Zelda's blush intensified, as she added, "Sounds silly, doesn't it?"

Laughing lightly, Link lovingly kissed the backs of her hands. "No, sweetheart, those are _lovely_ dreams." he said. "So, how would you like to get married a year from today?" He was rewarded with Zelda's joyful smile...seconds before she pounced on him, kissing him with all the love in her pure, loving heart; a kiss which Link gladly returned, with equal passion.

When their kiss ended, Link said, "So, I assume that means 'yes'." He was rewarded with Zelda's lovely, melodious laughter. "Now, why don't we go to the Carnival?" he suggested.

"Yes, let's." Zelda cooed. Then, they stood up, holding hands, and headed out of the Castle, to join their old friends and their new ones, and to enjoy the rest of the day.

It was a new day for them all.

_THE END_

_Author's Note: And it's finished. This took longer to post than I thought it would. Sorry about the slow updates, everyone; I had a combination of writer's block, university classes, and a research paper to distract from my writing time. I plan to do a sequel to this story, but I'm not sure when, yet; my Zelda-story muse seems to be on holiday. Hopefully, playing Twilight Princess will get my creativity back in shape. Thank you all for the reviews! I hope to hear from you all again when I get the sequel up! So…until we meet again!_


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